Note 13 — Commitments and Contingencies

We are involved in litigation, investigations and claims arising out of the normal conduct of our business, including those relating to commercial transactions, environmental, employment and health and safety matters. We estimate and accrue our liabilities resulting from such matters based on a variety of factors, including the stage of the proceeding; potential settlement value; assessments by internal and external counsel; and assessments by environmental engineers and consultants of potential environmental liabilities and remediation costs. Such estimates are not discounted to reflect the time value of money due to the uncertainty in estimating the timing of the expenditures, which may extend over several years.

While it is impossible to ascertain the ultimate legal and financial liability with respect to certain contingent liabilities and claims, we believe, based upon our examination of currently available information, our experience to date, and advice from legal counsel, that the individual and aggregate liabilities resulting from the ultimate resolution of these contingent matters, after taking into consideration our existing insurance coverage and amounts already provided for, will not have a material adverse impact on our consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

Environmental Matters

We are subject to various U.S. and international federal, state and local environmental, and health and safety laws and regulations. We are also subject to liabilities arising under the Federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA” or “Superfund”), the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and similar state and international laws and regulations that impose responsibility for the control, remediation and abatement of air, water and soil pollutants and the manufacturing, storage, handling and disposal of hazardous substances and waste.

We have been named as a potentially responsible party (“PRP”) with respect to several hazardous waste disposal sites that we do not own or possess, which are included on, or proposed to be included on, the Superfund National Priority List of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) or on equivalent lists of various state governments. Because CERCLA allows for joint and several liability in certain circumstances, we could be responsible for all remediation costs at such sites, even if we are one of many PRPs. We believe, based on the amount and nature of our waste, and the number of other financially viable PRPs, that our liability in connection with such matters will not be material.

Lower Passaic River Study Area

Hexcel and a group of approximately 51 other PRPs comprise the Lower Passaic Cooperating Parties Group (the “CPG”). Hexcel and the CPG are subject to a May 2007 Administrative Order on Consent (“AOC”) to perform a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (“RI/FS”) of environmental conditions in the Lower Passaic River watershed. We were included in the CPG based on our operations at our former manufacturing site in Lodi, New Jersey.

In March 2016, the EPA issued a Record of Decision (“ROD”) setting forth the EPA’s selected remedy for the lower eight miles of the river in addition to a “no action” option. The ROD calls for capping and dredging of the lower eight miles of the Passaic River, with the placement of an engineered cap over the entire eight miles, at an expected cost ranging from $0.97 billion to $2.07 billion, according to the EPA. Because the EPA has not yet selected a remedy for the upper nine miles of the Lower Passaic River, this estimate range does not include any costs related to a future remedy for the upper portion of the river. Now that it has issued the final ROD, the EPA will seek to hold some combination of the PRPs liable to perform the work selected through the ROD. At this point, we have not yet determined our allocable share of performing the selected remedy. However, based on a review of the Company’s position, and as no point within the range is a more probable outcome than any other point, the Company has determined that its accrual is sufficient at this time. The total accrued liability related to this matter was $2.0 million at December 31, 2017 and $2.1 million at December 31, 2016. Despite the issuance of the final ROD, there continue to be many uncertainties associated with the selected remedy and the Company’s allocable share of the remediation. Given those uncertainties, the amounts accrued may not be indicative of the amounts for which the Company is ultimately responsible and will be refined as events in the remediation process develop.

Omega Chemical Corporation Superfund Site, Whittier, California

We are a PRP at a former chemical waste site in Whittier, California. The PRPs at Omega have established a PRP Group, the “Omega PRP Group,” and are currently investigating and remediating soil and groundwater at the site pursuant to a Consent Decree with the EPA. The Omega PRP Group has attributed approximately 1.07% of the waste tonnage sent to the site to Hexcel. In addition to the Omega site specifically, the EPA is investigating the scope of regional groundwater contamination in the vicinity of the Omega site and issued a Record of Decision; the Omega PRP Group members have been noticed by the EPA as PRPs who will be required to be involved in the remediation of the regional groundwater contamination in that vicinity as well. As a member of the Omega PRP Group, Hexcel will incur costs associated with the investigation and remediation of the Omega site and the regional groundwater remedy, although our ultimate liability, if any, in connection with this matter cannot be determined at this time. The total accrued liability relating to potential liability for both the Omega site and regional groundwater remedies was $0.6 million at December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016.

Environmental remediation reserve activity for the three years ended December 31, 2017 was as follows:

	For the year ended December 31,
(In millions)	2017			2016			2015
Beginning remediation accrual balance	$	3.2		$	2.9		$	5.0
Current period expenses		0.1			1.2			0.5
Cash expenditures		(0.5	)		(0.9	)		(2.6	)
Ending remediation accrual balance	$	2.8		$	3.2		$	2.9

Environmental Summary

Our estimate of liability as a PRP and our remaining costs associated with our responsibility to remediate the Lower Passaic River, New Jersey and other sites are accrued in the consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, our aggregate environmental related accruals were $2.8 million and $3.2 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, $0.9 million and $1.4 million, respectively, were included in current other accrued liabilities with the remainder included in other non-current liabilities. As related to certain environmental matters, the accruals were estimated at the low end of a range of possible outcomes since no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount. If we had accrued, for those sites where we are able to estimate our liability, at the high end of the range of possible outcomes, our accrual would have been $16 million higher at December 31, 2017 and 2016.

These accruals can change significantly from period to period due to such factors as additional information on the nature or extent of contamination, the methods of remediation required, changes in the apportionment of costs among responsible parties and other actions by governmental agencies or private parties, or the impact, if any, of being named in a new matter.

Environmental remediation spending charged directly to our reserve balance was $0.5 million and $0.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. In addition, our operating costs relating to environmental compliance charged directly to expense were $9.9 million and $10.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.

Product Warranty

Warranty expense for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, and accrued warranty cost, included in “other accrued liabilities” in the consolidated balance sheets were as follows:

	Product
(In millions)	Warranties
Balance as of December 31, 2014	$	11.3
Warranty expense		3.5
Deductions and other		(8.7	)
Balance as of December 31, 2015	$	6.1
Warranty expense		5.1
Deductions and other		(5.7	)
Balance as of December 31, 2016	$	5.5
Warranty expense		3.0
Deductions and other		(4.9	)
Balance as of December 31, 2017	$	3.6