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ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Environmental Matters [Abstract]  
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS AND ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS
Certain Eastman manufacturing facilities generate hazardous and nonhazardous wastes, of which the treatment, storage, transportation, and disposal are regulated by various governmental agencies. In connection with the cleanup of various hazardous waste sites, the Company, along with many other entities, has been designated a potentially responsible party ("PRP") by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, which potentially subjects PRPs to joint and several liability for certain cleanup costs. In addition, the Company will incur costs for environmental remediation and closure and post-closure under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Reserves for environmental contingencies have been established in accordance with Eastman's policies described in Note 1, "Significant Accounting Policies". The resolution of uncertainties related to environmental matters may have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements and related disclosures in the period recognized. However, because of the availability of legal defenses, the Company's preliminary assessment of actions that may be required, and the extended period of time that the obligations are expected to be satisfied, management does not believe that the Company's liability for these environmental matters, individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on the Company's future overall financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Environmental Remediation and Environmental Asset Retirement Obligations

The Company's net environmental reserve for environmental contingencies, including remediation costs and asset retirement obligations, is included as part of "Other noncurrent assets", "Payables and other current liabilities", and "Other long-term liabilities" on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position as follows:
(Dollars in millions)December 31,
20242023
Environmental contingencies, current$15 $10 
Environmental contingencies, long-term269 274 
Total$284 $284 
Environmental Remediation

Estimated future environmental expenditures for undiscounted remediation costs ranged from $252 million to $495 million and from $252 million to $497 million at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The best estimate or minimum estimated future environmental expenditures of $252 million at both December 31, 2024 and 2023, are considered to be probable and reasonably estimable.

Costs of certain remediation projects included in the environmental reserve are subject to a cost-sharing arrangement with Monsanto Company ("Monsanto") under the provisions of the Amended and Restated Settlement Agreement effective February 28, 2008 (the "Effective Date"), into which Solutia entered with Monsanto upon its emergence from bankruptcy (the "Monsanto Settlement Agreement"). Under the provisions of the Monsanto Settlement Agreement, Solutia, which became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eastman on July 2, 2012, shares responsibility with Monsanto for remediation at certain locations outside of the boundaries of plant sites in Anniston, Alabama and Sauget, Illinois (the "Shared Sites"). Solutia is responsible for the funding of environmental liabilities at the Shared Sites up to a total of $325 million from the Effective Date. If remediation costs for the Shared Sites exceed this amount, such costs will thereafter be shared equally between Solutia and Monsanto. Including payments by Solutia prior to its acquisition by Eastman, $131 million had been paid for costs at the Shared Sites as of December 31, 2024. As of December 31, 2024, an additional $206 million has been recognized for estimated future remediation costs at the Shared Sites, over a period of approximately 30 years.

Reserves for environmental remediation include liabilities expected to be paid within approximately 30 years. Eastman has letters of credit of approximately $150 million to support certain environmental matters. The Company does not expect that any claims against or draws on these instruments would have a material adverse effect on the Company. The amounts charged to pre-tax earnings for environmental remediation and related charges are recognized in "Cost of sales" and "Other (income) charges, net" on the Consolidated Statements of Earnings, Comprehensive Income and Retained Earnings.

Changes in the reserves for environmental remediation liabilities during 2024 and 2023 are summarized below:
(Dollars in millions)Environmental Remediation Liabilities
Balance at December 31, 2022
$245 
Changes in estimates recognized in earnings and other19 
Cash reductions(12)
Balance at December 31, 2023
252 
Changes in estimates recognized in earnings and other13 
Cash reductions(13)
Balance at December 31, 2024
$252 

Environmental Asset Retirement Obligations

An asset retirement obligation is an obligation for the retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that is incurred upon the acquisition, construction, development, or normal operation of that long-lived asset. Environmental asset retirement obligations consist primarily of closure and post-closure costs. For sites that have environmental asset retirement obligations, the best estimate recognized to date for these environmental asset retirement obligation costs was $32 million at both December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. 

Other

Eastman's cash expenditures related to environmental protection and improvement were $307 million, $314 million, and $300 million in 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively, and include operating costs associated with environmental protection equipment and facilities, engineering costs, and construction costs. The cash expenditures above include environmental capital expenditures of approximately $70 million, $65 million, and $60 million in 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively.
The Company has contractual asset retirement obligations not associated with environmental liabilities. Eastman's non-environmental asset retirement obligations are primarily associated with the future closure of leased manufacturing assets in Pace, Florida and Oulu, Finland. These non-environmental asset retirement obligations were $53 million and $51 million at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, and are included in "Other long-term liabilities" on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.