XML 41 R21.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.25.0.1
REMEDIAL LIABILITIES
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Environmental Remediation Obligations [Abstract]  
REMEDIAL LIABILITIES REMEDIAL LIABILITIES
The changes to remedial liabilities from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2024 were as follows (in thousands):
Remedial
Liabilities for
Landfill Sites
Remedial
Liabilities for
Inactive Sites
Remedial
Liabilities
(Including
Superfund) for
Non-Landfill
Operations
Total
Balance at January 1, 2023$1,824 $59,749 $54,717 $116,290 
Accretion89 2,540 1,561 4,190 
Changes in estimates recorded to consolidated statement of operations19 1,713 1,896 3,628 
Environmental expenditures(52)(3,840)(9,384)(13,276)
Currency translation and other— 115 296 411 
Balance at December 31, 20231,880 60,277 49,086 111,243 
Liabilities assumed in acquisitions
— — 5,192 5,192 
Accretion92 2,292 1,514 3,898 
Changes in estimates recorded to consolidated statement of operations29 573 3,762 4,364 
Expenditures(53)(6,078)(5,715)(11,846)
Currency translation and other— (28)(1,078)(1,106)
Balance at December 31, 2024$1,948 $57,036 $52,761 $111,745 
In the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company increased its remedial liabilities for an existing Superfund site by $2.9 million related to new information on the ultimate remediation of this site.
Anticipated payments at December 31, 2024 (based on current estimated costs and anticipated timing of necessary regulatory approvals to commence work on remedial activities) for each of the next five years and thereafter were as follows (in thousands):
Years ending December 31, 
2025$10,321 
202617,391 
202711,259 
202810,972 
20298,745 
Thereafter70,610 
Undiscounted remedial liabilities129,298 
Less: Discount at risk free rates(17,553)
Total remedial liabilities$111,745 
The following table presents the Company's estimated remedial liabilities and reasonably possible additional liabilities as of December 31, 2024 disaggregated by facility/site type (in thousands, except percentages):
Type of Facility or SiteRemedial
Liabilities
% of Total
Reasonably Possible
Additional Liabilities (1)
Inactive facilities not used in active conduct of the Company's business, most of which were assumed through prior period acquisitions (25 facilities)
$56,976 51.0 %$10,765 
Facilities now used in active conduct of the Company's business (62 facilities, including 24 acquired by the Company through acquisitions in 2024)
46,131 41.3 9,497 
Superfund sites (12 sites)
8,638 7.7 1,296 
Total$111,745 100.0 %$21,558 
___________________________________
(1)Amounts represent the high end of the range of management's best estimate of the reasonably possible additional liabilities.
The following table presents the Company's estimated remedial liabilities and reasonably possible additional liabilities as of December 31, 2024 disaggregated by facilities/sites which represent at least 5% of the total and with all other facilities/ sites combined (in thousands, except percentages):
LocationType of Facility or Site
Remedial
Liabilities(1)
% of Total
Reasonably
Possible
Additional
Liabilities(2)
Baton Rouge, LAClosed incinerator and landfill$25,578 22.9 %$4,303 
Bridgeport, NJClosed incinerator17,417 15.6 3,254 
Mercier, QuebecIdled incinerator10,826 9.7 1,631 
Linden, NJOperating solvent recycling center9,434 8.4 2,148 
Various
All other incinerators, landfills, wastewater treatment facilities and service centers (83 facilities, including 24 acquired by the Company through acquisitions in 2024)
39,852 35.7 8,926 
Various
Superfund sites (each representing less than 5% of total liabilities) (12 sites)
8,638 7.7 1,296 
Total $111,745 100.0 %$21,558 
_________________________________
(1)$23.3 million of the $111.7 million remedial liabilities include estimates related to the legal and administrative proceedings discussed in Note 18, "Commitments and Contingencies."
(2)Amounts represent the high end of the range of management's best estimate of the reasonably possible additional liabilities.
Revisions to remediation reserve requirements may result in upward or downward adjustments to income from operations in any given period. The Company believes that its extensive experience in the environmental services business, as well as its involvement with a large number of sites, provides a reasonable basis for estimating its aggregate liability. It is possible, however, that future changes in available technology, regulatory or enforcement developments, the results of environmental studies or other factors could necessitate the recording of additional liabilities or the revision of currently recorded liabilities that could be material. Since the Company's satisfaction of the liabilities will occur over many years, the Company cannot reasonably predict the nature or extent of possible future events or the impact that those events, if any, might have on the current estimates of remedial liabilities.