Environmental

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Environmental Expense and Liabilities [Abstract]

Environmental

Environmental

Environmental costs are charged to operating expenses if they relate to an existing condition caused by past operations and do not contribute to current or future revenue generation. We have ongoing investigations of environmental matters at various locations and routinely assess our recorded environmental obligations, if any, with respect to such matters. Liabilities are recorded when site restoration and environmental remediation, cleanup and other obligations are either known or considered probable and can be reasonably estimated. Such estimates are undiscounted and require judgment with respect to costs, time frame and extent of required remedial and cleanup activities and are subject to periodic adjustments based on currently available information. Recoveries of environmental costs through insurance, indemnification arrangements or other sources are included in other assets to the extent such recoveries are considered probable.

We incurred expense of $0.5 million and $2.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $2.5 million and $4.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, for environmental remediation obligations. The accrued environmental liability reflected in our consolidated balance sheets was $111.9 million and $115.0 million at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively, of which $93.2 million and $94.0 million, respectively, were classified as other long-term liabilities. These accruals include remediation and monitoring costs expected to be incurred over an extended period of time (up to 30 years for certain projects). Estimated liabilities could increase in the future when the results of ongoing investigations become known, are considered probable and can be reasonably estimated.