ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS AND ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS

Certain Eastman manufacturing sites generate hazardous and nonhazardous wastes, the treatment, storage, transportation, and disposal of which are regulated by various governmental agencies. In connection with the cleanup of various hazardous waste sites, the Company, along with many other entities, has been designated a potentially responsible party ("PRP") by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, which potentially subjects PRPs to joint and several liability for such cleanup costs. In addition, the Company will be required to incur costs for environmental remediation and closure and post-closure under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Reserves for environmental contingencies have been established in accordance with Eastman's policies described in Note 1, "Significant Accounting Policies", to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of the Company's 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company's total reserve for environmental contingencies was $332 million and $336 million at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. At both March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, this reserve included $8 million related to sites previously closed and impaired by Eastman and sites that have been divested by Eastman but for which the Company retains the environmental liability related to these sites. The Company's total environmental reserve for environmental contingencies, including remediation costs and asset retirement obligations, is included in the Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Financial Position as follows:



(Dollars in millions)	March 31, 2016		December 31, 2015
Environmental contingent liabilities, current	$	30	$	35
Environmental contingent liabilities, long-term	302		301
Total	$	332	$	336

Remediation

Estimated future environmental expenditures for remediation costs ranged from the minimum or best estimate of $305 million to the maximum of $507 million and from the minimum or best estimate of $308 million to the maximum of $516 million at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. The maximum estimated future costs are considered to be reasonably possible and include the amounts accrued at both March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015. Although the resolution of uncertainties related to these environmental matters may have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated results of operations in the period recognized, because of the availability of legal defenses, the Company's preliminary assessment of actions that may be required, and if applicable, the expected sharing of costs, management does not believe that the Company's liability for these environmental matters, individually or in the aggregate, will be material to the Company's consolidated financial position or cash flows.

Reserves for environmental remediation that management believes to be probable and estimable are recognized as current and long-term liabilities in the Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. These reserves include liabilities expected to be paid within 30 years. The amounts charged to pre-tax earnings for environmental remediation and related charges are included in cost of sales and other charges (income), net. Changes in the reserves for environmental remediation liabilities during first three months 2016 are summarized below:



(Dollars in millions)	Environmental Remediation Liabilities
Balance at December 31, 2015	$	308
Changes in estimates recognized in earnings and other	3
Cash reductions	(6		)
Balance at March 31, 2016	$	305

Closure/Post-Closure

An asset retirement obligation is an obligation for the retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that is incurred upon the acquisition, construction, development, or normal operation of that long-lived asset. The Company recognizes asset retirement obligations in the period in which they are incurred if a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made. The asset retirement obligations are discounted to expected present value and subsequently adjusted for changes in fair value. The associated estimated asset retirement costs are capitalized as part of the carrying value of the long-lived assets and depreciated over their useful life. Environmental asset retirement obligations consist primarily of closure and post-closure costs. For facilities that have environmental asset retirement obligations, the best estimate accrued to date over the facilities' estimated useful lives for these environmental asset retirement obligation costs was $27 million and $28 million at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

Other

The Company also has contractual asset retirement obligations not associated with environmental liabilities. Eastman's non-environmental asset retirement obligations are primarily associated with the future closure of leased manufacturing assets at Pace, Florida and Oulu, Finland. These accrued non-environmental asset retirement obligations were $45 million and $46 million as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.