12.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Litigation

We are involved in various legal proceedings, including competition, environmental, health, safety, product liability, and insurance matters. In September 2010, the Brazilian Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) issued a decision against our Brazilian subsidiary, Air Products Brasil Ltda., and several other Brazilian industrial gas companies for alleged anticompetitive activities. CADE imposed a civil fine of R$179.2 million (approximately $98 at 31 March 2012) on Air Products Brasil Ltda. This fine was based on a recommendation by a unit of the Brazilian Ministry of Justice whose investigation began in 2003 alleging violation of competition laws with respect to the sale of industrial and medical gases. The fines are based on a percentage of our total revenue in Brazil in 2003.

We have denied the allegations made by the authorities and filed an appeal in October 2010 with the Brazilian courts. Certain of our defenses, if successful, could result in the matter being dismissed with no fine against us. We, with advice of our outside legal counsel, have assessed the status of this matter and have concluded that although an adverse final judgment after exhausting all appeals is reasonably possible, such a judgment is not probable. As a result, no provision has been made in the consolidated financial statements. We estimate the maximum possible loss to be the full amount of the fine of R$179.2 million (approximately $98 at 31 March 2012) plus interest accrued thereon until final disposition of the proceedings.

We are required to provide security for the payment of the fine (and interest) in order to suspend execution of the judgment during the appeal process, during which time interest will accrue on the fine. The security is only collectible by the court in the event we are not successful in our appeal and do not timely pay the fine. The security could be in the form of a bank guarantee or in other forms which the courts deem acceptable. The form of security to be provided by us has not been finally determined.

While we do not expect that any sums we may have to pay in connection with this or any other legal proceeding would have a materially adverse effect on our consolidated financial position or net cash flows, a future charge for regulatory fines or damage awards could have a significant impact on our net income in the period in which it is recorded.

Environmental

In the normal course of business, we are involved in legal proceedings under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (the federal Superfund law), similar state environmental laws, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) relating to the designation of certain sites for investigation or remediation. Presently, there are approximately 36 sites on which a final settlement has not been reached where we, along with others, have been designated a potentially responsible party by the Environmental Protection Agency or are otherwise engaged in investigation or remediation, including cleanup activity at certain of our current and former manufacturing sites. We continually monitor these sites for which we have environmental exposure.

Accruals for environmental loss contingencies are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated consistent with the policy set forth in Note 1, Major Accounting Policies, to the consolidated financial statements in our 2011 Form 10-K. The consolidated balance sheets at 31 March 2012 and 30 September 2011 included an accrual of $80.2 and $82.3, respectively, primarily as part of other noncurrent liabilities. The environmental liabilities will be paid over a period of up to 30 years. We estimate the exposure for environmental loss contingencies to range from $80 to a reasonably possible upper exposure of $94 as of 31 March 2012.

Actual costs to be incurred at identified sites in future periods may vary from the estimates, given inherent uncertainties in evaluating environmental exposures. Using reasonably possible alternative assumptions of the exposure level could result in an increase to the environmental accrual. Due to the inherent uncertainties related to environmental exposures, a significant increase to the reasonably possible upper exposure level could occur if a new site is designated, the scope of remediation is increased, a different remediation alternative is identified, or a significant increase in our proportionate share occurs. We do not expect that any sum we may have to pay in connection with environmental matters in excess of the amounts recorded or disclosed above would have a material adverse impact on our financial position or results of operations in any one year.

PACE

At 31 March 2012, $34.6 of the environmental accrual was related to the Pace facility.

In 2006, we sold our Amines business, which included operations at Pace, Florida and recognized a liability for retained environmental obligations associated with remediation activities at Pace. We are required by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to continue our remediation efforts. We estimated that it would take about 20 years to complete the groundwater remediation, and the costs through completion were estimated to range from $42 to $52. As no amount within the range was a better estimate than another, we recognized a pretax expense in fiscal 2006 of $42.0 as a component of income from discontinued operations and recorded an environmental accrual of $42.0 in continuing operations on the consolidated balance sheets. There has been no change to the estimated exposure range related to the Pace facility.

We have implemented many of the remedial corrective measures at the Pace, Florida facility required under 1995 Consent Orders issued by the FDEP and the USEPA. Contaminated soils have been bioremediated, and the treated soils have been secured in a lined on-site disposal cell. Several groundwater recovery systems have been installed to contain and remove contamination from groundwater. We completed an extensive assessment of the site to determine how well existing measures are working, what additional corrective measures may be needed, and whether newer remediation technologies that were not available in the 1990s might be suitable to more quickly and effectively remove groundwater contaminants. Based on assessment results, we completed a focused feasibility study that appears to have identified new and alternative approaches which should more effectively remove contaminants and achieve the targeted remediation goals. We continue to review the new approaches with the FDEP.

PIEDMONT

At 31 March 2012, $20.7 of the environmental accrual was related to the Piedmont site.

On 30 June 2008, we sold our Elkton, Maryland and Piedmont, South Carolina production facilities and the related North American atmospheric emulsions and global pressure sensitive adhesives businesses. In connection with the sale, we recognized a liability for retained environmental obligations associated with remediation activities at the Piedmont site. This site is under active remediation for contamination caused by an insolvent prior owner. The sale of the site triggered expense recognition. Prior to the sale, remediation costs had been capitalized since they improved the property as compared to its condition when originally acquired. We are required by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to address both contaminated soil and groundwater. Numerous areas of soil contamination have been addressed, and contaminated groundwater is being recovered and treated. We estimated that it would take until 2015 to complete source area remediation and another 15 years thereafter to complete groundwater recovery, with costs through completion estimated to be $24. We recognized a pretax expense in 2008 of $24.0 as a component of income from discontinued operations and recorded an environmental liability of $24.0 in continuing operations on the consolidated balance sheets. There has been no change to the estimated exposure.

PAULSBORO

At 31 March 2012, $8.0 of the environmental accrual was related to the Paulsboro site.

During the first quarter of 2009, management committed to a plan to sell the production facility in Paulsboro, New Jersey and recognized a $16.0 environmental liability associated with this site. The change in the liability balance since it was established is a result of spending and changes in the estimated exposure. In December 2009, we completed the sale of this facility. We are required by the New Jersey state law to investigate and, if contaminated, remediate a site upon its sale. We estimate that it will take several years to complete the investigation/remediation efforts at this site.

Agreement to Purchase Shares in Equity Affiliate

In September 2011, we entered into an agreement to acquire 25% of the outstanding shares of Abdullah Hashim Industrial Gases & Equipment Co. Ltd. (AHG). The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and customary local closing conditions. The closing date is expected to occur in the third quarter of fiscal year 2012. AHG is a company of the privately-owned Abdullah Hashim Group, based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. AHG is the largest private industrial gases company in Saudi Arabia. It is comprised of three businesses, including industrial gases, equipment and consumables and refrigerants. The transaction will be recorded as an investment in net assets of and advances to equity affiliates in the Merchant Gases segment.