COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

Environmental Matters

We have recorded liabilities totaling $47 million and $46 million at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, for anticipated costs related to various environmental matters, primarily the remediation of numerous waste disposal sites and certain properties sold by us. Of these amounts, $10 million and $11 million was included in Other Current Liabilities at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. The costs include legal and consulting fees, site studies, the design and implementation of remediation plans, post-remediation monitoring and related activities, and will be paid over several years. The amount of our ultimate liability in respect of these matters may be affected by several uncertainties, primarily the ultimate cost of required remediation and the extent to which other responsible parties contribute. We have limited potential insurance coverage for future environmental claims.

Workers’ Compensation

We have recorded liabilities, on a discounted basis, totaling $309 million and $302 million for anticipated costs related to workers’ compensation at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. Of these amounts, $71 million and $63 million were included in Current Liabilities as part of Compensation and Benefits at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. The costs include an estimate of expected settlements on pending claims, defense costs and a provision for claims incurred but not reported. These estimates are based on our assessment of potential liability using an analysis of available information with respect to pending claims, historical experience, and current cost trends. The amount of our ultimate liability in respect of these matters may differ from these estimates. We periodically, and at least annually, update our loss development factors based on actuarial analyses. At June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the liability was discounted using a risk-free rate of return.

General and Product Liability and Other Litigation

We have recorded liabilities totaling $305 million and $293 million, including related legal fees expected to be incurred, for potential product liability and other tort claims presently asserted against us at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. Of these amounts, $43 million and $40 million were included in Other Current Liabilities at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. The amounts recorded were estimated based on an assessment of potential liability using an analysis of available information with respect to pending claims, historical experience and, where available, recent and current trends. The amount of our ultimate liability in respect of these matters may differ from these estimates.

Asbestos. We are a defendant in numerous lawsuits alleging various asbestos-related personal injuries purported to result from alleged exposure to asbestos in certain products manufactured by us or present in certain of our facilities. Typically, these lawsuits have been brought against multiple defendants in state and Federal courts. To date, we have disposed of approximately 103,300 claims by defending and obtaining the dismissal thereof or by entering into a settlement. The sum of our accrued asbestos-related liability and gross payments to date, including legal costs, by us and our insurers totaled approximately $392 million through June 30, 2012 and $388 million through December 31, 2011.

A summary of recent approximate asbestos claims activity follows. Because claims are often filed and disposed of by dismissal or settlement in large numbers, the amount and timing of settlements and the number of open claims during a particular period can fluctuate significantly. The passage of tort reform laws and creation of deferred dockets for non-malignancy claims in several states has contributed to a decline in the number of claims filed in recent years.



	Six Months Ended			Year Ended
(Dollars in millions)	June 30, 2012			December 31, 2011
Pending claims, beginning of period	78,500			83,700
New claims filed	1,050			2,200
Claims settled/dismissed	(5,200		)	(7,400		)
Pending claims, end of period	74,350			78,500
Payments (1)	$	4		$	23

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(1)	Represents amount spent by us and our insurers on asbestos litigation defense and claim resolution.

We periodically, and at least annually, review our existing reserves for pending claims, including a reasonable estimate of the liability associated with unasserted asbestos claims, and estimate our receivables from probable insurance recoveries. We had recorded gross liabilities for both asserted and unasserted claims, inclusive of defense costs, totaling $136 million and $138 million at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. At June 30, 2012, we estimate that it is reasonably possible that our gross liabilities, net of our estimate for probable insurance recoveries, could exceed our recorded amounts by approximately $10 million.

We recorded a receivable related to asbestos claims of $69 million and $67 million as of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. We expect that approximately 50% of asbestos claim related losses would be recoverable through insurance through the period covered by the estimated liability. Of these amounts, $9 million and $8 million was included in Current Assets as part of Accounts Receivable at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. The recorded receivable consists of an amount we expect to collect under coverage-in-place agreements with certain primary carriers as well as an amount we believe is probable of recovery from certain of our excess coverage insurance carriers.

We believe that, at June 30, 2012, we had approximately $160 million in limits of excess level policies potentially applicable to indemnity and defense costs for asbestos products claims. We also had coverage under certain primary policies for indemnity and defense costs for asbestos products claims under remaining aggregate limits, as well as coverage for indemnity and defense costs for asbestos premises claims on a per occurrence basis, pursuant to coverage-in-place agreements at June 30, 2012.

With respect to both asserted and unasserted claims, it is reasonably possible that we may incur a material amount of cost in excess of the current reserve; however, such amounts cannot be reasonably estimated. Coverage under insurance policies is subject to varying characteristics of asbestos claims including, but not limited to, the type of claim (premise vs. product exposure), alleged date of first exposure to our products or premises and disease alleged. Depending upon the nature of these characteristics, as well as the resolution of certain legal issues, some portion of the insurance may not be accessible by us.

Other Actions. We are currently a party to various claims and legal proceedings in addition to those noted above. If management believes that a loss arising from these matters is probable and can reasonably be estimated, we record the amount of the loss, or the minimum estimated liability when the loss is estimated using a range, and no point within the range is more probable than another. As additional information becomes available, any potential liability related to these matters is assessed and the estimates are revised, if necessary. Based on currently available information, management believes that the ultimate outcome of these matters, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position or overall trends in results of operations. However, litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable rulings could occur. An unfavorable ruling could include monetary damages or an injunction prohibiting us from selling one or more products. If an unfavorable ruling were to occur, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on the financial position and results of operations of the period in which the ruling occurs, or in future periods.

Income Tax and Other Tax Matters

The calculation of our tax liabilities involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax regulations. We recognize liabilities for anticipated tax audit issues based on our estimate of whether, and the extent to which, additional taxes will be due. If we ultimately determine that payment of these amounts is unnecessary, we reverse the liability and recognize a tax benefit during the period in which we determine that the liability is no longer necessary. We also recognize income tax benefits to the extent that it is more likely than not that our positions will be sustained when challenged by the taxing authorities. We derecognize income tax benefits when based on new information we determine that it is no longer more likely than not that our position will be sustained. To the extent we prevail in matters for which liabilities have been established, or determine we need to derecognize tax benefits recorded in prior periods, our results of operations and effective tax rate in a given period could be materially affected. An unfavorable tax settlement would require use of our cash, and lead to recognition of expense to the extent the settlement amount exceeds recorded liabilities and, in the case of an income tax settlement, result in an increase in our effective tax rate in the period of resolution. A favorable tax settlement would be recognized as a reduction of expense to the extent the settlement amount is lower than recorded liabilities and, in the case of an income tax settlement, would result in a reduction in our effective tax rate in the period of resolution.

While the Company applies consistent transfer pricing policies and practices globally, supports transfer prices through economic studies, seeks advance pricing agreements and joint audits to the extent possible and believes its transfer prices to be appropriate, such transfer prices, and related interpretations of tax laws, are occasionally challenged by various taxing authorities globally. We have received various tax assessments challenging our interpretations of applicable tax laws in various jurisdictions. Although we believe we have complied with applicable tax laws, have strong positions and defenses and have historically been successful in defending such claims, our results of operations could be materially adversely affected in the case we are unsuccessful in the defense of existing or future claims.

In September 2011, the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil issued an assessment to us for allegedly improperly taking tax credits for value-added taxes paid to a supplier of natural rubber during the period from January 2006 to August 2008. The assessment, including interest and penalties, totaled 92 million Brazilian real (approximately $46 million). We received similar assessments from the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil in December 2010 for allegedly improperly taking tax credits for value-added taxes paid to other suppliers of natural rubber during the period from January 2006 to October 2009. These assessments, including interest and penalties, totaled 88 million Brazilian real (approximately $43 million). We have filed responses contesting all of the assessments and are defending these matters. In the event we are unsuccessful in defending one or more of these assessments, our results of operations could be materially affected.

Guarantees

We have off-balance sheet financial guarantees written and other commitments totaling approximately $83 million at June 30, 2012, compared to $105 million at December 31, 2011, primarily related to our obligations in connection with the financing of the construction of our new Global and North American Tire Headquarters facility. In addition, we will from time to time issue guarantees to financial institutions or other entities on behalf of certain of our affiliates, lessors or customers. Normally there is no separate premium received by us as consideration for the issuance of guarantees. We also generally do not require collateral in connection with the issuance of these guarantees. If our performance under these guarantees is triggered by non-payment or another specified event, we would be obligated to make payment to the financial institution or the other entity, and would typically have recourse to the affiliate, lessor or customer. The guarantees expire at various times through 2023. We are unable to estimate the extent to which our affiliates’, lessors’ or customers’ assets would be adequate to recover any payments made by us under the related guarantees.