Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	15 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2012
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	NOTE 1 — BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES *Basis of Presentation* The information furnished herein reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated balance sheets as of January 31, 2012 and October 31, 2011 and the consolidated statements of operations and cash flows for the three-month periods ending January 31, 2012 and 2011 of Greif, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Greif, Inc., all wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries and investments in limited liability companies, partnerships and joint ventures in which it has controlling influence. Non-majority owned entities include investments in limited liability companies, partnerships and joint ventures in which the Company does not have controlling influence. The unaudited consolidated financial statements included in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this “Form 10-Q”) should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended October 31, 2011 (the “2011 Form 10-K”). Note 1 of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” from the 2011 Form 10-K is specifically incorporated in this Form 10-Q by reference. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements have been included and are of a normal and recurring nature. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) instructions to Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and include all of the information and disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial reporting. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual amounts could differ from those estimates. The Company’s fiscal year begins on November 1 and ends on October 31 of the following year. Any references to the year 2012 or 2011, or to any quarter of those years, relates to the fiscal year or quarter, as the case may be, ending in that year. Certain and appropriate prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2012 presentation. *Newly Adopted Accounting Standards* In December 2010, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2010-29 “Business Combinations: Disclosure of supplementary pro forma information for business combinations”. The amendment to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805 “Business Combinations” requires a public entity to disclose pro forma information for business combinations that occurred in the current reporting period. The disclosures include pro forma revenue and earnings of the combined entity for the current reporting period as though the acquisition date for all business combinations that occurred during the year had been as of the beginning of the annual reporting period. If comparative financial statements are presented, the pro forma revenue and earnings of the combined entity for the comparable prior reporting period should be reported as though the acquisition date for all business combinations that occurred during the current year had been as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period. The Company adopted the new guidance beginning November 1, 2011, and the adoption of the new guidance did not impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures. *Recently Issued Accounting Standards* Effective July 1, 2009, changes to the ASC are communicated through an ASU. As of January 31, 2012, the FASB has issued ASU’s 2009-01 through 2011-12. The Company has reviewed each ASU and the adoption of each ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures. In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05 “Comprehensive Income: Presentation of comprehensive income.” The amendment to ASC 220 “Comprehensive Income” requires that all non-owner changes in stockholders’ equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In the two-statement approach, the first statement should present total net income and its components followed consecutively by a second statement that should present total other comprehensive income, the components of other comprehensive income, and the total of comprehensive income. In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-12 “Comprehensive Income: Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05.” This amendment to ASC 220 “Comprehensive Income” will defer the adoption of ASU 2011-05. The Company is expected to adopt the new guidance beginning November 1, 2012, and the adoption of the new guidance is not expected to impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures. In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08 “Intangibles—Goodwill and Other: Testing Goodwill for Impairment” which provides an entity the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the current two-step test for goodwill impairment. If an entity believes, as a result of its qualitative assessment, that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, the quantitative impairment test is required. Otherwise, no further testing is required. The revised standard is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. However, an entity can choose to early adopt even if its annual test date is before the issuance of the final standard, provided that the entity has not yet performed its 2011 annual impairment test or issued its financial statements. The Company is expected to adopt the new guidance beginning November 1, 2012, and the adoption of the new guidance is not expected to impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than related disclosures. In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-11 “Balance Sheet: Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities.” The differences in the offsetting requirements in U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) account for a significant difference in the amounts presented in statements of financial position prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and in the amounts presented in those statements prepared in accordance with IFRS for certain institutions. This difference reduces the comparability of statements of financial position. The FASB and IASB are issuing joint requirements that will enhance current disclosures. Entities are required to disclose both gross information and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of financial position and instruments and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting arrangement. The Company is expected to adopt the new guidance beginning on November 1, 2014, and the adoption of the new guidance is not expected to impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures.

Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

15 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2012

Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

NOTE 1 — BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

The information furnished herein reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated balance sheets as of January 31, 2012 and October 31, 2011 and the consolidated statements of operations and cash flows for the three-month periods ending January 31, 2012 and 2011 of Greif, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Greif, Inc., all wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries and investments in limited liability companies, partnerships and joint ventures in which it has controlling influence. Non-majority owned entities include investments in limited liability companies, partnerships and joint ventures in which the Company does not have controlling influence.

The unaudited consolidated financial statements included in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this “Form 10-Q”) should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended October 31, 2011 (the “2011 Form 10-K”). Note 1 of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” from the 2011 Form 10-K is specifically incorporated in this Form 10-Q by reference. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements have been included and are of a normal and recurring nature.

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) instructions to Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and include all of the information and disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial reporting. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual amounts could differ from those estimates.

The Company’s fiscal year begins on November 1 and ends on October 31 of the following year. Any references to the year 2012 or 2011, or to any quarter of those years, relates to the fiscal year or quarter, as the case may be, ending in that year.

Certain and appropriate prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2012 presentation.

Newly Adopted Accounting Standards

In December 2010, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2010-29 “Business Combinations: Disclosure of supplementary pro forma information for business combinations”. The amendment to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805 “Business Combinations” requires a public entity to disclose pro forma information for business combinations that occurred in the current reporting period. The disclosures include pro forma revenue and earnings of the combined entity for the current reporting period as though the acquisition date for all business combinations that occurred during the year had been as of the beginning of the annual reporting period. If comparative financial statements are presented, the pro forma revenue and earnings of the combined entity for the comparable prior reporting period should be reported as though the acquisition date for all business combinations that occurred during the current year had been as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period. The Company adopted the new guidance beginning November 1, 2011, and the adoption of the new guidance did not impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Effective July 1, 2009, changes to the ASC are communicated through an ASU. As of January 31, 2012, the FASB has issued ASU’s 2009-01 through 2011-12. The Company has reviewed each ASU and the adoption of each ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05 “Comprehensive Income: Presentation of comprehensive income.” The amendment to ASC 220 “Comprehensive Income” requires that all non-owner changes in stockholders’ equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In the two-statement approach, the first statement should present total net income and its components followed consecutively by a second statement that should present total other comprehensive income, the components of other comprehensive income, and the total of comprehensive income. In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-12 “Comprehensive Income: Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05.” This amendment to ASC 220 “Comprehensive Income” will defer the adoption of ASU 2011-05. The Company is expected to adopt the new guidance beginning November 1, 2012, and the adoption of the new guidance is not expected to impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures.

In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08 “Intangibles—Goodwill and Other: Testing Goodwill for Impairment” which provides an entity the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the current two-step test for goodwill impairment. If an entity believes, as a result of its qualitative assessment, that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, the quantitative impairment test is required. Otherwise, no further testing is required. The revised standard is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. However, an entity can choose to early adopt even if its annual test date is before the issuance of the final standard, provided that the entity has not yet performed its 2011 annual impairment test or issued its financial statements. The Company is expected to adopt the new guidance beginning November 1, 2012, and the adoption of the new guidance is not expected to impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than related disclosures.

In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-11 “Balance Sheet: Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities.” The differences in the offsetting requirements in U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) account for a significant difference in the amounts presented in statements of financial position prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and in the amounts presented in those statements prepared in accordance with IFRS for certain institutions. This difference reduces the comparability of statements of financial position. The FASB and IASB are issuing joint requirements that will enhance current disclosures. Entities are required to disclose both gross information and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of financial position and instruments and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting arrangement. The Company is expected to adopt the new guidance beginning on November 1, 2014, and the adoption of the new guidance is not expected to impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure, and significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. May be provided in more than one note to the financial statements, as long as users are provided with an understanding of (1) the significant judgments and assumptions made by an enterprise in determining whether it must consolidate a VIE and/or disclose information about its involvement with a VIE, (2) the nature of restrictions on a consolidated VIE's assets reported by an enterprise in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets, (3) the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with an enterprise's involvement with the VIE, and (4) how an enterprise's involvement with the VIE affects the enterprise's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. Describes procedure if disclosures are provided in more than one note to the financial statements.

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