XML 34 R23.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.25.2

Commitments and Contingencies | 9 Months Ended
--- | ---
Jun. 30, 2025
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Litigation We are involved in various legal proceedings, including commercial, competition, environmental, intellectual property, regulatory, product liability, and insurance matters. We do not currently believe there are any legal proceedings for which it is reasonably possible, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows. In September 2010, the Brazilian Administrative Council for Economic Defense ("CADE") issued a decision against our Brazilian subsidiary, Air Products Brasil Ltda., and several other Brazilian industrial gas companies for alleged anticompetitive activities. CADE imposed a civil fine of R$179.2 million (approximately $33.0 as of 30 June 2025) on Air Products Brasil Ltda. This fine was based on a recommendation by a unit of the Brazilian Ministry of Justice, following an investigation beginning in 2003, which alleged violation of competition laws with respect to the sale of industrial and medical gases. The fines are based on a percentage of our total revenue in Brazil in 2003. We have denied the allegations made by the authorities and filed an appeal in October 2010 with the Brazilian courts. On 6 May 2014, our appeal was granted and the fine against Air Products Brasil Ltda. was dismissed. CADE has appealed that ruling and the matter remains pending. We, with advice of our outside legal counsel, have assessed the status of this matter and have concluded that, although an adverse final judgment after exhausting all appeals is possible, such a judgment is not probable. As a result, no provision has been made in the consolidated financial statements. In the event of an adverse final judgment, we estimate the maximum possible loss to be the full amount of the fine of R$179.2 million (approximately $33.0 as of 30 June 2025) plus interest accrued thereon until final disposition of the proceedings. Environmental In the normal course of business, we are involved in legal proceedings under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act ("CERCLA," the federal Superfund law), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ("RCRA"), and similar state environmental laws relating to the designation of certain sites for investigation or remediation. Presently, there are 26 sites on which a final settlement or remediation has not been achieved where we, usually along with others, have been designated as a potentially responsible party by environmental authorities or are otherwise engaged in investigation or remediation, including cleanup activity at certain of our former manufacturing sites. We continually monitor these sites for which we have environmental exposure. Accruals for environmental loss contingencies are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. As of 30 June 2025 and 30 September 2024, the consolidated balance sheets included accruals of $87.4 and $79.1, respectively, primarily as part of other noncurrent liabilities. These environmental liabilities will be paid over a peri od of up to 30 years. W e estimate the exposure for environmental loss contingencies to range from $87 to a reasonably possible upper exposure of $100 as of 30 June 2025. Actual costs to be incurred at identified sites in future periods may vary from the estimates, given inherent uncertainties in evaluating environmental exposures. Using reasonably possible alternative assumptions of the exposure level could result in an increase to the environmental accrual. Due to these inherent uncertainties, a significant increase to the reasonably possible upper exposure level could occur if a new site is designated, the scope of remediation is increased, a different remediation alternative is identified, or a significant increase in our proportionate share occurs. We do not expect that any sum we may have to pay in connection with environmental matters in excess of the amounts recorded or disclosed above would have a material adverse impact on our financial position or results of operations in any one year. Pace As of 30 June 2025, $54.4 of the environmental accrual was related to our facility in Pace, Florida. In 2006, we sold our Amines business, which included operations at the Pace facility and recognized a liability for retained environmental obligations associated with remediation activities at the facility. We are required by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection ("FDEP") and the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("USEPA") to continue our remediation efforts. We recognized a before-tax expense of $42 in fiscal year 2006 in results from discontinued operations and recorded an environmental accrual of $42 in continuing operations on the consolidated balance sheets. In the first quarter of 2015, we entered into a consent order with the FDEP requiring us to continue our remediation efforts at the Pace facility and complete a cost review every five years. In fiscal year 2020, we completed an updated cost review of the environmental remediation status at the Pace facility and increased our environmental accrual for this site by $19 in continuing operations on the consolidated balance sheet and recognized a before-tax expense of $19 in results from discontinued operations. In fiscal year 2024, we completed our most recent cost review of the environmental remediation status at the Pace facility. Based on our review, we expect ongoing activities to continue for 30 years. Additionally, we increased our estimate of near-term spending for an optimized groundwater recovery system and future annual costs due to higher inflation. As a result of these changes, we increased our environmental accrual for this site by $19 in continuing operations on the consolidated balance sheets and recognized a before-tax expense of $19 in results from discontinued operations in fiscal year 2024. There have been no significant changes to the estimated exposure. We have implemented many of the remedial corrective measures at the Pace facility required under the 1995 consent orders issued by the FDEP and the USEPA. Contaminated soils have been bioremediated, and the treated soils have been secured in a lined on-site corrective action management unit. Several groundwater recovery systems have been installed to contain and remove contamination from groundwater. We completed an extensive assessment of the site to determine the efficacy of existing measures, what additional corrective measures may be needed, and whether newer remediation technologies that were not available in the 1990s might be better suited for groundwater remediation. Based on assessment results, we completed a focused feasibility study that identified alternative approaches that may more effectively remove contaminants. We continue to review alternative remedial approaches with the FDEP, and we completed additional field work during 2021 to support the design of an improved groundwater recovery network. This network targets areas of higher contaminant concentration and avoids areas of high groundwater iron which has proven to be a significant operability issue for the project. The design of the optimized recovery system was completed in fiscal year 2024, with construction expected to begin in fiscal year 2026. In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024, we completed an updated cost review which resulted in a change in assumptions regarding future operating costs as discussed above. Piedmont As of 30 June 2025, $10.5 of the environmental accrual was related to a production facility site in Piedmont, South Carolina. On 30 June 2008, we sold our Elkton, Maryland, and Piedmont, South Carolina, production facilities and the related North American atmospheric emulsions and global pressure sensitive adhesives businesses. In connection with the sale, we recognized a liability for retained environmental obligations associated with remediation activities at the Piedmont site. This site is under active remediation for contamination caused by an insolvent prior owner. We are required by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control ("SCDHEC") to address both contaminated soil and groundwater. Numerous areas of soil contamination have been addressed, and contaminated groundwater is being recovered and treated. The SCDHEC issued its final approval to the site-wide feasibility study on 13 June 2017 and the Record of Decision for the site on 27 June 2018, after which we signed a Consent Agreement Amendment memorializing our obligations to complete the cleanup of the site. Remediation has started in accordance with the design, which includes in-situ chemical oxidation treatment, as well as soil vapor extraction to remove volatile organic compounds from the unsaturated soils beneath the impacted areas of the plant. We estimate that source area remediation and groundwater recovery and treatment will continue through 2033. Thereafter, we currently expect this site to go into a state of monitored natural attenuation through 2038. We recognized a before-tax expense of $24 in 2008 as a component of income from discontinued operations and recorded an environmental liability of $24 in continuing operations on the consolidated balance sheets. In the third quarter of fiscal year 2025, we completed an updated cost review of the environmental remediation status at Piedmont. Based on our review, we increased our estimate of remaining costs due to the extended period of time that will be required to complete the remediation along with higher annual costs due to inflation. As a result of these changes, we increased the environmental accrual for this site by $9 in continuing operations on the consolidated balance sheets and recognized a before-tax expense of $9 in results from discontinued operations. Pasadena As of 30 June 2025, $10.0 of the environmental accrual was related to a production facility site in Pasadena, Texas. During fiscal year 2012, management committed to permanently shutting down our polyurethane intermediates ("PUI") production facility in Pasadena, Texas. In shutting down and dismantling the facility, we have undertaken certain obligations related to soil and groundwater contaminants. We have been pumping and treating groundwater to control off-site contaminant migration in compliance with regulatory requirements and under the approval of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality ("TCEQ"). We estimate that the pump and treat system will continue to operate until 2042. We continue to perform additional work to address other environmental obligations at the site. This additional work includes remediating impacted soils as required, investigating groundwater west of the former PUI facility, cleaning production wells, continuing post closure care for two closed RCRA surface impoundment units, and maintaining engineering controls. Additionally, we have conducted an interim corrective action to treat impacted soils as recommended in the TCEQ 2019 Annual Report. We are currently in the process of renewing the site's RCRA permit. In 2012, we estimated the total exposure at this site to be $13. There have been no significant changes to the estimated exposure. Asset Retirement Obligations Our asset retirement obligations are primarily associated with long-term on-site supply contracts under which we have built a facility on land owned by the customer and are obligated to remove the facility at the end of the contract term. The retirement of assets includes the contractually required removal of a long-lived asset from service and encompasses the sale, removal, abandonment, recycling, or disposal of the assets as required at the end of the contract term. These obligations are primarily reflected within "Other noncurrent liabilities" on the consolidated balance sheets. The timing and/or method of settlement of these obligations are conditional on a future event that may or may not be within our control. Changes to the carrying amount of our asset retirement obligations were as follows:
30 September 2024 | $334.7 |
Additional accruals(A) | 67.4 |
Liabilities settled | (6.5) |
Accretion expense | 9.7 |
Currency translation adjustment | (1.7) |
30 June 2025 | $403.6 |
(A)Primarily relates to project exits discussed in Note 4, Business and Asset Actions.

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Topic 405 -SubTopic 30 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/405-30/tableOfContent Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482648/440-10-50-4 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Topic 450 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/450/tableOfContent Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 954 -SubTopic 440 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478522/954-440-50-1 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482648/440-10-50-4 Reference 6: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Topic 440 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/440/tableOfContent + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration