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CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESERVES | 12 Months Ended
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Oct. 31, 2021
Environmental Remediation Obligations [Abstract] |
CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESERVES | CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESERVES Litigation-related Liabilities The Company may become involved from time-to-time in litigation and regulatory matters incidental to its business, including governmental investigations, enforcement actions, personal injury claims, product liability, employment health and safety matters, commercial disputes, intellectual property matters, disputes regarding environmental clean-up costs, litigation in connection with acquisitions and divestitures, and other matters arising out of the normal conduct of its business. The Company intends to vigorously defend itself in such litigation. The Company does not believe that the outcome of any pending litigation will have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial statements. The Company will accrue for contingencies related to litigation and regulatory matters if it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Because litigation is inherently unpredictable and unfavorable resolutions can occur, assessing contingencies is highly subjective and requires judgments about future events. The Company regularly reviews contingencies to determine whether its accruals are adequate. The amount of ultimate loss may differ from these estimates. The Company is currently involved in legal proceedings outside of the United States related to various wrongful termination lawsuits filed by former employees and benefit claims filed by some existing employees of the Company's Global Industrial Packaging reportable segment. The lawsuits include claims for severance for employment periods prior to the Company’s ownership in the business. As of October 31, 2021 and October 31, 2020, the estimated liability recorded related to these matters was not material. The estimated liability has been determined based on the number of active cases and the settlements and rulings on previous cases. It is reasonably possible the estimated liability could increase if additional cases are filed or adverse rulings are made. Since 2017, two reconditioning facilities in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area that are or were owned by Container Life Cycle Management LLC ("CLCM"), the Company’s U.S. reconditioning joint venture, have been subject to investigations conducted by federal, state and local governmental agencies concerning, among other matters, potential violations of environmental laws and regulations. As a result of these investigations, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“U.S. EPA”) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (“WDNR”) have issued notices of violations to the Company and CLCM regarding violations of certain federal and state environmental laws and regulations. The remedies being sought in these proceedings include compliance with the applicable environmental laws and regulations as being interpreted by the U.S. EPA and WDNR and monetary sanctions. The Company has cooperated with the governmental agencies in these investigations and proceedings. As of December 16, 2021, no material citations have been issued or material fines assessed with respect to any violation of environmental laws and regulations. Although the Company anticipates paying a civil penalty to the U.S. EPA and WDNR, the amount is not expected to be material to the Company. In addition, on November 8, 2017, the Company, CLCM and other parties were named as defendants in a punitive class action lawsuit filed in Wisconsin state court concerning one of CLCM’s Milwaukee reconditioning facilities. The plaintiffs alleged that odors from this facility invaded their property and interfered with the use and enjoyment of their property and caused damage to the value of their property. In September 2021, the Milwaukee County Circuit Court approved a class action settlement of these claims. The cash settlement component of $0.8 million is expected to be paid in December 2021 into a fund for the benefit of class members. CLCM has also agreed to make capital improvements in an amount up to $0.5 million to the facility, subject to certain qualifications set forth in the agreement, to further reduce odor emissions. Environmental Reserves The Newark Group, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company ("Newark"), is subject to environmental and litigation liability related to contamination of the Lower Passaic River in New Jersey. By letters dated February 14, 2006 and June 2, 2006, the U.S. EPA notified Newark of its potential liability under Section 107(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA”) relating to the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site, which includes a 17-mile stretch of the Lower Passaic River that EPA has denominated the Lower Passaic River Study Area (“LPRSA”). Newark is one of at least 70 potentially responsible parties identified in this case. The EPA alleges that hazardous substances were released from Newark’s now-closed Newark, New Jersey recycled paperboard mill into the Lower Passaic River. The EPA informed the Company that it may be potentially liable for response costs that the government may incur relating to the study of the LPRSA and for unspecified natural resource damages. In April 2014, EPA issued a Focused Feasibility Study that proposed alternatives for the remediation of the lower 8 miles of the Lower Passaic River. On March 3, 2016, EPA issued its Record of Decision for the lower 8 miles of the Lower Passaic River, which presented a bank-to-bank dredging remedy selected by the agency for the lower 8 miles and which EPA estimates will cost approximately $1,380.0 million to implement. Newark participated in an allocation process to determine its allocable share. During 2021, final report was issued that determined Newark as a low tier participant and share of the liability to be less than 1.0% that applies to the 17-miles of LPRSA. On June 30, 2018, Occidental Chemical Corporation (“Occidental”) filed litigation in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey styled Occidental Chemical Corp. v. 21st Century Fox America, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 2:18-CV-11273 (D.N.J.), that names Newark and approximately 119 other parties as defendants. Occidental’s Complaint alleges claims under CERCLA against all defendants for cost recovery, contribution, and declaratory judgment for costs Occidental allegedly has incurred and will incur at the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site. The litigation is in its early stages, and the Company intends to vigorously defend itself in this litigation. As of October 31, 2021 and October 31, 2020, the Company has accrued $11.0 million and $11.1 million, respectively, for LPRSA and the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site. It is possible that there could be resolution of uncertainties in the future that would require the Company to record charges, which could be material to future earnings. As of October 31, 2021 and October 31, 2020, the Company's environmental reserves were $19.5 million and $20.2 million, respectively, which include the LPRSA and Diamond Alkali Superfund Sites mentioned above. These reserves are principally based on environmental studies and cost estimates provided by third parties, but also take into account management estimates. The estimated liabilities are reduced to reflect the anticipated participation of other potentially responsible parties in those instances where it is probable that such parties are legally responsible and financially capable of paying their respective shares of relevant costs. For sites that involve formal actions subject to joint and several liabilities, these actions have formal agreements in place to apportion the liability. Aside from the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site, other environmental reserves of the Company as of October 31, 2021 and October 31, 2020 included $8.5 million and $9.1 million, respectively, for its various facilities around the world. The Company’s exposure to adverse developments with respect to any individual site is not expected to be material. Although environmental remediation could have a material effect on results of operations if a series of adverse developments occur in a particular quarter or year, the Company believes that the chance of a series of adverse developments occurring in the same quarter or year is remote. Future information and developments will require the Company to continually reassess the expected impact of these environmental matters.

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