2.4.0.82115100 - Disclosure - Contingenciestruefalsefalse1false falsefalseD2013Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000069488duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:001true 1us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstractus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]2false 2us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureTextBlockus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboseLabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;">Contingencies</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">The Company is a defendant in various lawsuits and a party to various other legal proceedings, in the ordinary course of business, some of which are covered in whole or in part by insurance.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;text-decoration:underline;">New Idria Mercury Mine</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Effective October 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) added the New Idria Mercury Mine site located near Hollister, California to the Superfund National Priorities List because of alleged contaminants discharged to California waterways. The New Idria Quicksilver Mining Company, founded in 1936, and later renamed the New Idria Mining & Chemical Company ("NIMCC") owned and/or operated the New Idria Mine through 1976. In 1981 NIMCC was merged into Buckhorn Metal Products Inc. and subsequently acquired by Myers Industries in 1987. The EPA contends that past mining operations have resulted in mercury contamination and acid mine drainage in the San Carlos Creek, Silver Creek and a portion of Panoche Creek and that other downstream locations may also be impacted.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Since Buckhorn Inc. may be a potentially responsible party (“PRP”) of the New Idria Mercury Mine, the Company recognized an expense of $</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">1.9 million</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> in 2011 related to performing a remedial investigation and feasibility study to determine the extent of remediation and the screening of alternatives. Payments of approximately $</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">0.5 million</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> have been charged against the reserve classified in Other Liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position as of </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">June 30, 2013</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">. As the Site Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study ("RI/FS") proceeds, it is likely that adjustments to the recognized expense will be necessary to reflect new information regarding the nature and extent of site contamination, the range of remediation alternatives available, and evolving remediation standards.  The final remedial action will be selected after completion of the RI/FS.  At that time the Company is likely to have additional information regarding remedial action costs, the number and financial condition of other PRPs, the extent of their responsibility for the remediation, and the availability of insurance coverage for these expenses. At this time, further remediation cost estimates are not known and have not been prepared.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">In November 2011 the EPA completed an interim removal project at the New Idria Mercury Mine site. It is expected this removal action will be part of the final remediation strategy for the site. According to informal reports, EPA's interim removal project costs were approximately $</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">500,000</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">. It is possible that at some future date the EPA will seek recovery of the costs of this work from PRPs.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:12px;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;text-decoration:underline;">Other</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:12px;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">When management believes that a loss arising from these matters is probable and can reasonably be estimated, we record the amount of the estimated loss, or the minimum estimated liability when the loss is estimated using a range, and no point within the range is more probable of occurrence than another. As additional information becomes available, any potential liability related to these matters will be assessed and the estimates will be revised, if necessary.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Based on current available information, management believes that the ultimate outcome of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position or overall trends in our results of operations. However, these matters are subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable rulings could occur. 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.</font></div></div>falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaThe entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 14 -Paragraph 3 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. 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