At December 31, 2021 , the Company had accrued liabilities totaling $358 million ( $370 million at December 31, 2020 ) for environmental remediation at the Midland and Wood-Ridge sites. In 2021 , the Company spent $38 million ( $53 million in 2020 ) for environmental remediation at the Midland and Wood-Ridge sites. During the third quarter of 2020, the Company accrued additional liabilities totaling $106 million related to environmental remediation matters resulting from the Company's evaluation of the costs required to manage remediation activities at sites Dow will permanently shut down as part of its 2020 Restructuring Program. In addition, the Company recorded indemnification assets of $50 million related to Dow Silicones' environmental matters. Net of indemnifications, the Company recognized a pretax charge of $56 million related to these environmental matters, included in "Restructuring, goodwill impairment and asset related charges - net" in the consolidated statements of income. During the third quarter of 2019, the Company accrued additional liabilities totaling $447 million related to environmental remediation matters at a number of current and historical locations. The additional accrual primarily resulted from: the culmination of long-standing negotiations and discussions with regulators and agencies, including technical studies supporting higher cost estimates for final or staged remediation plans; the Company’s evaluation of the cost required to manage remediation activities at sites affected by Dow’s separation from DowDuPont and related agreements with Corteva and DuPont; and, the Company’s review of its closure strategies and obligations to monitor ongoing operations and maintenance activities. In addition, the Company recorded indemnification assets of $48 million related to Dow Silicones’ environmental matters. Net of indemnifications, the Company recognized a pretax charge of $399 million related to these environmental matters, included in “Cost of sales” in the consolidated statements of income. In total, the Company’s accrued liability for probable environmental remediation and restoration costs was $1,220 million at December 31, 2021 , compared with $1,244 million at December 31, 2020 . This is management’s best estimate of the costs for remediation and restoration with respect to environmental matters for which the Company has accrued liabilities, although it is reasonably possible that the ultimate cost with respect to these particular matters could range up to approximately two times that amount. Consequently, it is reasonably possible that environmental remediation and restoration costs in excess of amounts accrued could have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. It is the opinion of the Company’s management, however, that the possibility is remote that costs in excess of the range disclosed will have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. The amounts charged to income on a pretax basis related to environmental remediation totaled $158 million in 2021 , $234 million in 2020 and $588 million in 2019 . The amounts charged to income on a pretax basis related to operating the Company's current pollution abatement facilities, excluding internal recharges, totaled $761 million in 2021 , $616 million in 2020 and $677 million in 2019 . Capital expenditures for environmental protection were $65 million in 2021 , $80 million in 2020 and $83 million in 2019 . Asbestos-Related Matters of Union Carbide Corporation Union Carbide is and has been involved in a large number of asbestos-related suits filed primarily in state courts during the past four decades. These suits principally allege personal injury resulting from exposure to asbestos- containing products and frequently seek both actual and punitive damages. The alleged claims primarily relate to products that Union Carbide sold in the past, alleged exposure to asbestos-containing products located on Union Carbide’s premises, and Union Carbide’s responsibility for asbestos suits filed against a former Union Carbide subsidiary, Amchem. In many cases, plaintiffs are unable to demonstrate that they have suffered any compensable loss as a result of such exposure, or that injuries incurred in fact resulted from exposure to Union Carbide’s products. 66
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