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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure
Commitments and Contingencies
Environmental
We are subject to federal, state, local, and foreign environmental laws and regulations concerning, among other matters, waste water effluents, air emissions, and handling and disposal of hazardous materials, such as cleaning fluids. We are involved with environmental compliance, investigation, monitoring, and remediation activities at certain of our owned and formerly owned manufacturing facilities and at one owned facility that is leased to a third party, and, except for these continuing remediation efforts, believes we are currently in substantial compliance with all known environmental regulations. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, we had undiscounted accrued environmental reserves of $2.1 and $3.0, respectively. We accrue for certain environmental remediation-related activities for which commitments or remediation plans have been developed and for which costs can be reasonably estimated. These estimates are determined based upon currently available facts and circumstances regarding each facility. Actual costs incurred may vary from these estimates due to the inherent uncertainties involved. Future expenditures relating to these environmental remediation efforts are expected to be made over the next 10 years as ongoing costs of remediation programs.
Although we believe we have adequately provided for the cost of all known environmental conditions, the applicable regulatory agencies could insist upon different and more costly remediation than those we believe are adequate or required by existing law or third parties may seek to impose environmental liabilities on us. We believe that any additional liability in excess of amounts accrued which may result from the resolution of such matters will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, liquidity, cash flows or results of operations.
Legal Proceedings
CCESC and CCDEC were involved in litigation with an external sales representative in China who claimed we owed commissions of approximately 64.8 million Chinese yuan (equivalent to $9.9) plus interest. In prior years, we accrued 30.0 million Chinese yuan (equivalent to $4.6) as our best estimate of the related contingent liability. Based on a China court ruling received during February 2018, the claimant was awarded a reduced amount of 53.9 million Chinese yuan (equivalent to $8.3), which included accrued interest (the “Award Amount”). As a result of this ruling, we accrued an additional 23.9 million Chinese yuan (equivalent to $3.7) in commissions and interest in the fourth quarter of 2017. The Award Amount was recorded in other current liabilities in our consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2017. Management is currently evaluating alternatives under the arbitration award.
We are occasionally subject to various legal claims related to performance under contracts, product liability, taxes, employment matters, environmental matters, intellectual property, and other matters incidental to the normal course of our business. Based on our historical experience in litigating these claims, as well as our current assessment of the underlying merits of the claims and applicable insurance, if any, management believes that the final resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, liquidity, cash flows, or results of operations. Future developments may, however, result in resolution of these legal claims in a way that could have a material adverse effect.