16.	Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees

Commitments

a. The Company has a partnership with a supplier of raw materials that mines and processes sodium-based mineral deposits. The Company purchases the majority of its sodium-based raw material requirements from the partnership. The partnership agreement for the partnership terminates upon two years’ written notice by either partner. Under the partnership agreement, the Company has an annual commitment to purchase 240,000 tons of sodium-based raw materials at the prevailing market price. With the exception of the Natronx Technologies LLC (“Natronx”) joint venture, in which the Company and the partner supplier are each one-third owners, the Company is not engaged in any other material transactions with the partnership or the partner supplier.

b. As of March 31, 2015, the Company had commitments through 2019 of approximately $286.5. These commitments include the purchase of raw materials, packaging supplies and services from its vendors at market prices to enable the Company to respond quickly to changes in customer orders or requirements, as well as costs associated with licensing and promotion agreements.

c. As of March 31, 2015, the Company had the following guarantees: (i) $4.6 in outstanding letters of credit drawn on several banks which guarantee payment for such things as insurance claims in the event of the Company’s insolvency, (ii) an insolvency protection guarantee of approximately $17.3 to one of its United Kingdom pension plans effective January 1, 2011, and (iii) $2.7 worth of assets subject to guarantees for its Brazil operations for value added tax assessments and labor related cases currently under appeal.

d. On November 8, 2011, the Company acquired a license for certain oral care technology for cash consideration of $4.3. In addition to this initial payment, the Company is required to make advance royalty payments of up to $5.5 upon the launch of a product utilizing the licensed technology, of which $4.3 had been made as of March 31, 2015. The Company is required to make an additional $7.0 license payment upon the approval of certain New Drug Applications by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for products incorporating the acquired technology.

e. In connection with the VI-COR Acquisition, the Company will be required to make an additional $5.0 payment in 2016 if a certain operating performance objective is achieved in 2015. As part of the preliminary purchase price allocation, the Company recorded a $4.6 liability. The Company will monitor performance and adjust the liability accordingly.

Environmental matter

f. In 2000, the Company acquired majority ownership in its Brazilian subsidiary, Quimica Geral Do Nordeste S.A. (“QGN”). The acquired operations included an inorganic salt manufacturing plant which began site operations in the late 1970’s. Located on the site were two closed landfills, two active landfills and a pond for the management of process waste streams. In 2009, QGN was advised by the environmental authority in the State of Bahia, the Institute of the Environment (“IMA”), that the plant was discharging contaminants into an adjacent creek. After learning of the discharge, QGN took immediate action to cease the discharge and retained two nationally recognized environmental firms to prepare a site investigation / remedial action (“SI/RA”) report. The SI/RA report was submitted by QGN to IMA in April 2010. The report concluded that the likely sources of the discharge were the failure of the pond and closed landfills. QGN ceased site operations in August 2010. In November 2010, IMA responded to QGN’s recommendation for an additional study by issuing a notification requiring a broad range of remediation measures (the “Remediation Notification”), which included the shutdown and removal of two on-site landfills. In addition, despite repeated discussions with IMA at QGN’s request to consider QGN’s proposed remediation alternatives, in December 2010, IMA imposed a fine of five million Brazilian Real (approximately U.S. $1.6 at current exchange rates) for the discharge of contaminants above allowable limits. The description of the fine included a reference to aggravating factors that may indicate that local “management’s intent” was considered in determining the severity of the fine, which could result in criminal liability for members of local management. In January 2011, QGN filed with IMA an administrative defense to the fine, suspending any enforcement activities pending its defense. IMA has not yet formally responded to QGN’s administrative defense.

With respect to the Remediation Notification, QGN engaged in discussions with IMA during which QGN asserted that a number of the remediation measures, including the removal of the landfills, and the timeframes for implementation were not appropriate and requested that the Remediation Notification be withdrawn. In response, in February 2011, IMA issued a revised Remediation Notification (the “Revised Remediation Notification”) providing for further site analysis by QGN, including further study of the integrity of the landfills. The Revised Remediation Notification did not include a requirement to remove the landfills; however, it did not foreclose the possibility of such a requirement. QGN has responded to the Revised Remediation Notification providing further information regarding the remediation measures, and is in discussions with the Institute of Environment and Waste Management (“INEMA”), successor to IMA, to seek agreement on an appropriate remediation plan. In mid-2011, QGN, consistent with the Revised Remediation Notice, began an additional site investigation and capped the two active landfills. In 2012, QGN drained the waste pond. During the third quarter of 2013, INEMA approved the first step in QGN’s proposed remediation plans, the installation of a trench drain to capture and treat groundwater at the site. Construction of the trench drain began during the first quarter of 2014 and was completed in the first quarter of 2015. In June 2014, QGN formally submitted to INEMA a technical report, including a remediation plan for the site and a proposed agreement regarding the fine and QGN’s ongoing obligations at the site. In July 2014, an initial meeting was held with INEMA to review and discuss the report and the proposed agreement. Following the initial meeting, QGN provided additional information requested by INEMA and continues to engage in discussions with INEMA regarding the proposed agreement.

As a result of the foregoing events, the Company accrued approximately $3.0 in 2009 and $4.8 in 2010 for remediation, fines and related costs. Since 2009, the costs of remediation activities and foreign exchange rate changes have reduced the accrual by approximately $5.4 to a current amount of $2.4. As a result of INEMA’s approval of the first step in QGN’s remediation plans, the Company does not believe that QGN will be required to remove the landfills. However, it remains reasonably possible that INEMA will require such removal, and the Company could be unsuccessful in appealing such decision. The Company estimates the cost of such landfill removal to be in the range of $30.0 to $50.0.

Legal and tax proceedings

g. The Company has recorded liabilities for uncertain income tax positions that, although supportable, may be challenged by tax authorities. The Company’s liabilities for uncertain income tax positions are $4.0 as of March 31, 2015. The Company does not expect a material change in the liabilities for uncertain income tax positions within the next twelve months.

h. In addition, in conjunction with the Company’s acquisition and divestiture activities, the Company entered into select guarantees and indemnifications of performance with respect to the fulfillment of the Company’s commitments under applicable purchase and sale agreements. The arrangements generally indemnify the buyer or seller for damages associated with breach of contract, inaccuracies in representations and warranties surviving the closing date and satisfaction of liabilities and commitments retained under the applicable contract. Representations and warranties that survive the closing date generally survive for periods up to five years or the expiration of the applicable statutes of limitations. Potential losses under the indemnifications are generally limited to a portion of the original transaction price, or to other lesser specific dollar amounts for select provisions. With respect to sale transactions, the Company also routinely enters into non-competition agreements for varying periods of time. Guarantees and indemnifications with respect to acquisition and divestiture activities, if triggered, could have a materially adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

i. The Company, in the ordinary course of its business, is the subject of, or party to, various pending or threatened legal actions, government investigations and proceedings from time to time, including, without limitation, those relating to, commercial transactions, product liability, purported consumer class actions, employment matters, antitrust, environmental, health, safety and other compliance related matters. Such proceedings are subject to many uncertainties and the outcome of certain pending or threatened legal actions may not be reasonably predictable and any related damages may not be estimable. Certain legal actions, including those described above, could result in an adverse outcome for the Company, and any such adverse outcome could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.