CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESERVES

3 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2022

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 interim condensed consolidated financial statements.

The Company may 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.

Environmental Reserves

As of January 31, 2022, and October 31, 2021, the Company's environmental reserves were $20.4 million and $19.5 million, respectively. 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.

As of January 31, 2022 and October 31, 2021, the Company has accrued $11.0 million for the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site in New Jersey.

Aside from the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site, other environmental reserves of the Company as of January 31, 2022 and October 31, 2021 included $9.4 million and $8.5 million, respectively, for its various facilities around the world. It is possible that there could be resolution of uncertainties in the future that would require the Company to record charges that could be material to future earnings.

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.