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Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Contingencies  
Contingencies

10. Contingencies

The Company has been identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or a comparable state or federal agency as a potentially responsible party (“PRP”) at a number of sites in the U.S., including certain Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA”) (Superfund) sites, as well as sites previously owned or operated by the Company.  As an identified PRP, the Company may have liability for investigation, remediation and monitoring of contamination, as well as associated penalties and natural resource damages, if any.  The Company has not had monetary sanctions imposed nor has the Company been notified of any potential monetary sanctions at any of the sites.  

The Company has recorded aggregate accruals of approximately $33 million, $26 million and $24 million (undiscounted) as of June 30, 2024, December 31, 2023 and June 30, 2023, respectively, for estimated future remediation and monitoring costs at these sites. Although the Company believes its accruals are adequate to cover its portion of future remediation costs, there can be no assurance that the ultimate payments will not exceed the amount of the Company’s accruals and will not have a material effect on its results of operations, financial position and cash flows.  Other than related to the site discussed below, any possible loss or range of potential loss that may be incurred in excess of the recorded accruals cannot be estimated.

As part of the above, from December 31, 1956 through June 1967, the Company, via a wholly-owned subsidiary, owned and operated a paper mill located on the shore of the Cuyahoga River in Ohio, which is now part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park that is managed by the National Park Service (“NPS”).  The Company and the United States are currently engaged in litigation regarding the site in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio (Akron), with the United States claiming that the Company should pay $50 million as a remedy for certain soils at the site as well as its past and anticipated future costs. The Company undertook sampling at the site in 2024 and has proposed settling this matter and has recorded a charge of $10 million in the second quarter of 2024 as its best estimate of this liability based on current information. This charge was recorded to Other expense, net on the Condensed Consolidated Results of Operations.  While the Company believes it has meritorious defenses against this suit, if the proposed settlement is not accepted by the NPS and the lawsuit proceeds, the ultimate resolution of this matter could result in a loss in excess of the amount currently accrued.

In November 2023, the Autorita Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (the “Italian Competition Authority”) commenced an investigation into alleged anti-competitive conduct by nine glass manufacturers and distributors in Italy, including the Company’s subsidiary based in Italy, O-I Italy SpA (“O-I Italy”), and an Italian joint venture in which O-I Italy owns a 50% interest, related to the sale of wine bottles in Italy. The Italian Competition Authority’s investigation is ongoing. To date, the Italian Competition Authority has not officially charged O-I Italy or its joint venture with any violations of competition law. If the Italian Competition Authority finds that the Company or any of its subsidiaries or joint ventures violated competition law, the Italian Competition Authority could levy fines, which could be material. At this stage, the Company is unable to predict the ultimate outcome of the investigation and any potential loss cannot be estimated. 

Other litigation is pending against the Company, in some cases involving ordinary and routine claims incidental to the business of the Company and in others presenting allegations that are non-routine and involve compensatory, punitive or treble damage claims as well as other types of relief. The Company records a liability for such matters when it is both probable that the liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated. Recorded amounts are reviewed and adjusted to reflect changes in the factors upon which the estimates are based, including additional information, negotiations, settlements and other events.