COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Environmental Remediation

In the fourth quarter of 2016, as part of a groundwater discharging permitting process, water samples collected from wells and process water basins at the Company’s Rochester New Hampshire manufacturing facility, within the Performance Materials segment, showed concentrations of Per and Polyfluorinated Substances (“PFAS”) in excess of state ambient groundwater quality standards. In January 2017, the Company received a notification from the State of New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (“NHDES”) naming Lydall Performance Materials, Inc. a responsible party with respect to the discharge of regulated contaminants and, as such, is required to take action to investigate and remediate the impacts in accordance with standards established by the NHDES. The Company conducted a site investigation, the scope of which was reviewed by the NHDES, in order to assess the extent of potential soil and groundwater contamination and develop a remedial action. Based on input received from NHDES in March 2017 with regard to the scope of the site investigation, the Company recorded $0.2 million of expense. In 2018, the Company received a response from the NHDES to the site investigation report outlining proposed remedial actions. The Company recorded an additional $0.1 million of expense in 2018 associated with the expected costs to remediate the impacts of the discharge of regulated contaminants in accordance with standards established by the NHDES. During 2018, the environmental liability was fully reduced reflecting payments made to vendors. Additionally, the Company incurred $0.2 million of capital expenditures in 2018, in relation to the lining of the Company's fresh water lagoons. During a building expansion in 2020, additional areas of concern were identified during excavation activities. An interim remedial action plan that includes additional site characterization activities was submitted to the NHDES in March 2021. No comments from the NHDES have been received. As of March 31, 2021, the Company has no amounts accrued for these environmental remediation activities. The Company cannot be sure that costs will not exceed the current estimates until this matter is closed with the NHDES, nor that any future corrective action at this location would not have a material effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

In December 2018, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“NYDEC”) informed the Company that the newly acquired Interface site located at Hoosick Falls, NY will be the subject of an investigation into the possibility of it being an inactive hazardous disposable waste site. The letter specifically references PFAS that have been detected in a nearby water supply, soil and/or surface water. Notably, the PFAS contamination has been identified in the Hoosick Falls area for some time and other large manufacturers in the area have previously been identified as a source. The NYDEC approved a site characterization plan in December 2019. Additional site characterization activities were completed in the fourth quarter of 2020. Results of the site characterization will be submitted in the second quarter of 2021. As of March 31, 2021, the Company has less than $0.1 million accrued for these environmental remediation activities. The Company does not know the scope or extent of any additional future obligations, if any, that may arise from the site investigation and therefore is unable to estimate the cost of any corrective action. Accordingly, the Company cannot assure that the costs of any future corrective at this location would not have a material effect on the Company's financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

Provisions for such matters are charged to expense when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and reasonable estimates of the liability can be made. Estimates of environmental liabilities are based on a variety of matters, including, but not limited to, the stage of investigation, the stage of the remedial design, evaluation of existing remediation technologies, and presently enacted laws and regulations. In future periods, a number of factors could significantly impact any estimates of environmental remediation costs.

Asset Retirement Obligations

The Company accounts for asset retirement obligations by recognizing the fair value of the related liability for an asset retirement obligation in the period in which it is incurred, if a reasonable estimate of fair value can be determined. At March 31, 2021, the Company had combined asset retirement obligations of $0.8 million, which are associated with the estimated costs to remove/remediate asbestos materials from various locations. The initial measurement of the asset retirement obligations was recorded as a liability at its fair value, with an offsetting asset retirement cost recorded as an increase to the related property and equipment, which is being depreciated using a systematic and rational method similar to the approach used for the associated property and equipment. The Company also has an asset retirement obligation with an offset to goodwill as the estimated costs were derived from known required remediation obligations as of the acquisition date of Interface Performance Materials on August 31, 2018. The Company has been performing ongoing remediation activity, which offsets the liability associated with the respective asset retirement obligations