Legacy Liabilities

Over the years, Grace operated numerous types of businesses that are no longer part of its ongoing operations. As Grace divested or otherwise ceased operating these businesses, it retained certain liabilities and obligations, which Grace refers to as legacy liabilities. The legacy liabilities include product, environmental and other liabilities. Although the outcome of each of the matters discussed below cannot be predicted with certainty, Grace has assessed its risk and has made accounting estimates as required under U.S. GAAP.

Legacy Product Liabilities Grace emerged from an asbestos-related Chapter 11 bankruptcy on February 3, 2014 (the “Effective Date”). Under its plan of reorganization, all pending and future asbestos-related claims are channeled for resolution to either a personal injury trust (the “PI Trust”) or a property damage trust (the “PD Trust”). The trusts are the sole recourse for holders of asbestos-related claims. The channeling injunctions issued by the bankruptcy court prohibit holders of asbestos-related claims from asserting such claims directly against Grace.

Grace has satisfied all of its financial obligations to the PI Trust. Grace has contingent financial obligations remaining to the PD Trust. With respect to property damage claims related to Grace’s former Zonolite attic insulation product installed in the U.S. (“ZAI PD Claims”), the PD Trust was funded with $34.4 million on the Effective Date and $30.0 million on February 3, 2017. Grace is also obligated to make up to 10 contingent deferred payments of $8 million per year to the PD Trust in respect of ZAI PD Claims during the 20-year period beginning on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date, with each such payment due only if the assets of the PD Trust in respect of ZAI PD Claims fall below $10 million during the preceding year. Grace has not accrued for the 10 additional payments as Grace does not have sufficient information to conclude that they are probable. Grace is not obligated to make additional payments to the PD Trust in respect of ZAI PD Claims beyond the payments described above. Grace has satisfied all of its financial obligations with respect to Canadian ZAI PD Claims.

With respect to other asbestos property damage claims (“Other PD Claims”), claims unresolved as of the Effective Date are to be litigated in the bankruptcy court and any future claims are to be litigated in a federal district court, in each case pursuant to procedures approved by the bankruptcy court. To the extent any such Other PD Claims are determined to be allowed claims, they are to be paid in cash by the PD Trust. Grace is obligated to make a payment to the PD Trust every six months in the amount of any Other PD Claims allowed during the preceding six months plus interest (if applicable) and the amount of PD Trust expenses for the preceding six months (the “PD Obligation”). Grace has not paid any Other PD Claims since emergence. Annual expenses have been approximately $0.2 million per year. The aggregate amount to be paid under the PD Obligation is not capped and Grace may be obligated to make additional payments to the PD Trust in respect of the PD Obligation. Grace has accrued for those unresolved Other PD Claims that it believes are probable and estimable. Grace has not accrued for other unresolved or unasserted Other PD Claims as it does not believe that payment is probable.

All payments to the PD Trust required after the Effective Date are secured by the Company’s obligation to issue 77,372,257 shares of Company common stock to the PD Trust in the event of default, subject to customary anti-dilution provisions.

This summary of the commitments and contingencies related to the Chapter 11 proceeding does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the plan of reorganization and the exhibits and documents related thereto, which have been filed with the SEC and are readily available on the internet at www.sec.gov.

Legacy Environmental Liabilities Grace is subject to loss contingencies resulting from extensive and evolving federal, state, local and foreign environmental laws and regulations relating to its manufacturing operations. Grace has procedures in place to minimize such contingencies; nevertheless, it has liabilities associated with past operations and additional claims may arise in the future. To address its legacy liabilities, Grace accrues for anticipated costs of response efforts where an assessment has indicated that a probable liability has been incurred and the cost can be reasonably estimated. These accruals do not take into account any discounting for the time value of money.

Grace’s environmental liabilities are reassessed regularly and adjusted when circumstances become better defined or response efforts and their costs can be better estimated, typically as a matter moves through the life-cycle of environmental investigation and remediation. These liabilities are evaluated based on currently available information relating to the nature and extent of contamination, risk assessments, feasibility of response actions, and apportionment amongst other potentially responsible parties, all evaluated in light of prior experience.

At September 30, 2018, Grace’s estimated liability for legacy environmental response costs totaled $128.5 million, compared with $70.3 million at December 31, 2017, and was included in “other current liabilities” and “other liabilities” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. These amounts are based on agreements in place or on Grace’s estimate of costs where no formal remediation plan exists, yet there is sufficient information to estimate response costs.

Vermiculite-Related Matters

Grace purchased a vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana, in 1963 and operated it until 1990. Vermiculite concentrate from the Libby mine was used in the manufacture of attic insulation and other products. Some of the vermiculite ore contained naturally occurring asbestos.

Grace is engaged with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) and other federal, state and local governmental agencies in a remedial investigation and feasibility study (“RI/FS”) of the Libby mine and the surrounding area, known as Operable Unit 3 (“OU3”). The RI/FS will determine the specific areas within OU3 requiring remediation and will identify possible remedial action alternatives. Possible remedial actions within OU3 are wide-ranging, from institutional controls such as land use restrictions, to more active measures involving soil removal, containment projects, or other protective measures.

As part of the RI/FS process, Grace contracted an engineering and consulting firm to develop a range of possible remedial alternatives and associated cost estimates for OU3. Based on this work, Grace recorded a pretax charge of $70.0 million in the 2018 third quarter for the estimated costs of remediation of OU3. Grace believes that this amount should provide for a protective remedy meeting the statutory requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.

The estimated costs of remediation are preliminary and consist of several components, each of which may vary significantly as the remedial alternatives are further developed. It is reasonably possible that the ultimate costs of remediation could range between $30 million and $170 million. Grace is working closely with the EPA, and the ultimate remedy will be determined by the EPA after the RI/FS is finalized. Such remedy will be set forth in a Record of Decision (“ROD”) that is expected to be issued by the EPA during or after 2020. Costs associated with the more active remedial alternatives would be expected to be incurred over a decade or more. Grace will reevaluate its estimated liability as remedial alternatives evolve based on further work by the engineering and consulting firm and discussions with the EPA as the RI/FS process moves toward a ROD. Depending on the remedial alternatives that the EPA selects in the ROD, the total cost of remediating OU3 may exceed Grace’s current estimate by material amounts.

The EPA is also investigating or remediating formerly owned or operated sites that processed Libby vermiculite into finished products. Grace is cooperating with the EPA on these investigation and remediation activities, and has recorded a liability to the extent that its review has indicated that a probable liability has been incurred and the cost is estimable. These liabilities cover the estimated cost of investigations and, to the extent an assessment has indicated that remediation is necessary, the estimated cost of response actions. Response actions typically involve soil excavation and removal, and replacement with clean fill. The EPA may commence additional investigations in the future at other sites that processed Libby vermiculite, but Grace does not believe, based on its knowledge of prior and current operations and site conditions, that liability for remediation at such other sites is probable.

Grace’s total estimated liability for response costs that are currently estimable for OU3, and at vermiculite processing sites outside of Libby, at September 30, 2018, and December 31, 2017, was $83.4 million and $25.8 million, respectively. It is possible that Grace’s ultimate liability for these vermiculite-related matters will exceed current estimates by material amounts.

Non-Vermiculite-Related Environmental Matters

At September 30, 2018, and December 31, 2017, Grace’s estimated legacy environmental liability for response costs at sites not related to its former vermiculite mining and processing activities was $45.1 million and $44.5 million, respectively. This liability relates to Grace’s former businesses or operations, including its share of liability at off-site disposal facilities. Grace’s estimated liability is based upon regulatory requirements and environmental conditions at each site. As Grace receives new information, its estimated liability may change materially.

Other Legacy Liabilities As part of the process for renewing Grace’s permit for a dam on the Libby mine site, which expires in March 2019, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is expected to require Grace to replace the dam spillway, which is deteriorating, with a new spillway. Grace constructed the dam in 1971 to prevent vermiculite ore tailings from moving into nearby creeks and rivers. Based on information provided by third-party consultants, the cost of the new spillway is estimated to be between $40 million and $45 million. Grace expects to record a liability for this project at the time the permit renewal is approved. Grace anticipates that approval of the renewal of such permit will occur in the first quarter of 2019. Construction of the new spillway is expected to take three to four years.

Commercial and Financial Commitments and Contingencies

Purchase Commitments Grace uses purchase commitments to ensure supply and to minimize the volatility of major components of direct manufacturing costs including natural gas, certain metals, rare earths, and other materials. Such commitments are for quantities that Grace fully expects to use in its normal operations.

Guarantees and Indemnification Obligations Grace is a party to many contracts containing guarantees and indemnification obligations. These contracts primarily consist of:


•	Product warranties with respect to certain products sold to customers in the ordinary course of business. These warranties typically provide that products will conform to specifications. Grace accrues a warranty liability on a transaction-specific basis depending on the individual facts and circumstances related to each sale.


•	Performance guarantees offered to customers under certain licensing arrangements. Grace has not established a liability for these arrangements based on past performance.


•	Licenses of intellectual property by Grace to third parties in which Grace has agreed to indemnify the licensee against third party infringement claims.


•	Contracts providing for the sale or spin-off of a former business unit or product line in which Grace has agreed to indemnify the buyer or resulting entity against certain liabilities related to activities prior to the closing of the transaction, including environmental, tax, and employee liabilities.


•	Guarantees of real property lease obligations of third parties, typically arising out of (a) leases entered into by former subsidiaries of Grace, or (b) the assignment or sublease of a lease by Grace to a third party.

Financial Assurances Financial assurances have been established for a variety of purposes, including insurance and environmental matters, trade-related commitments and other matters. As of September 30, 2018, Grace had gross financial assurances issued and outstanding of $147.8 million, composed of $67.8 million of surety bonds issued by various insurance companies and $80.0 million of standby letters of credit and other financial assurances issued by various banks.