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Commitments and Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2020
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Note 15 — Commitments and Contingencies We are involved in litigation, investigations and claims arising out of the normal conduct of our business, including those relating to commercial transactions, environmental, employment and health and safety matters. While it is impossible to predict the ultimate resolution of litigation, investigations and claims asserted against us, we believe, based upon our examination of currently available information, our experience to date, and advice from legal counsel, that, after taking into account our existing insurance coverage and amounts already provided for, the currently pending legal proceedings against us will not have a material adverse impact on our consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows. Lower Passaic River Study Area Hexcel together with approximately 48 other PRPs that comprise the Lower Passaic Cooperating Parties Group (the “CPG”) are subject to a May 2007 Administrative Order on Consent (“AOC”) with the EPA requiring the CPG to perform a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study of environmental conditions of a 17-mile stretch of the Passaic River in New Jersey (the “Lower Passaic River”). We were included in the CPG based on our operations at our former manufacturing site in Lodi, New Jersey. In March 2016, the EPA issued a Record of Decision (“ROD”) setting forth the EPA’s selected remedy for the lower eight miles of the Lower Passaic River at an expected cost ranging from $0.97 billion to $2.07 billion. This estimate does not include any costs related to a future remedy for the upper nine miles of the Lower Passaic River. In August 2017, the EPA appointed an independent third-party allocation expert to make recommendations on the relative liability of approximately 120 identified non-government PRP’s for the lower eight miles of the Lower Passaic River. In December 2020, the allocator issued its non-binding report on PRP liability (including Hexcel’s) to the EPA, which did not result in any change to Hexcel’s accrual for the Passaic matter. We do not know to what extent, if at all, this non-binding report will impact the ultimate outcome of the matter. In October 2016, pursuant to a settlement agreement with the EPA, Occidental Chemical Corporation (“OCC”), one of the PRPs commenced performance of the remedial design required by the ROD, reserving its right of cost contribution from all other PRPs. In June 2018, OCC filed suit against approximately 120 parties, including Hexcel, in the U.S. District Court of the District of New Jersey seeking cost recovery and contribution under CERCLA related to the Lower Passaic River. In July 2019, the court granted in part and denied in part the defendants’ motion to dismiss. In August 2020, the court granted defendants’ motion for summary judgement for certain claims. Discovery for the remaining claims is ongoing. The accrual balance related to the Lower Passaic River site was $2.1 million at December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. Given the uncertainty associated with the many elements of the Superfund process for the Lower Passaic River, the amounts accrued may not be indicative of the amounts for which we will ultimately be responsible. Environmental remediation reserve activity for the three years ended December 31, 2020 was as follows:
(In millions) |  | 2020 |  |  | 2019 |  |  | 2018 |
Beginning remediation accrual balance |  | $ | 2.5 |  |  | $ | 2.7 |  |  |  | 2.8 |
Current period expenses |  | — |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 0.3 |
Cash expenditures |  |  | (0.1 | ) |  |  | (0.2 | ) |  |  | (0.4 | )
Ending remediation accrual balance |  | $ | 2.4 |  |  | $ | 2.5 |  |  |  | 2.7 |
Summary of Environmental Reserves Our estimate of liability as a PRP and our remaining costs associated with our responsibility to remediate the Lower Passaic River and other sites are accrued in the consolidated balance sheets. As of both December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, our aggregate environmental related accruals were $2.4 million and $2.5 million, respectively, of which $0.5 million and $0.6 million, for the aforementioned years, respectively, were included in current other accrued liabilities with the remainder included in other non-current liabilities. As related to certain environmental matters the accrual was estimated at the low end of a range of possible outcomes since no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount. If we had accrued, for those sites where we are able to estimate our liability, at the high end of the range of possible outcomes, our accrual would have been $16 million higher at December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. These accruals can change significantly from period to period due to such factors as additional information on the nature or extent of contamination, the methods of remediation required, changes in the apportionment of costs among responsible parties and other actions by governmental agencies or private parties, or the impact, if any, of being named in a new matter. Product Warranty Warranty expense for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, and accrued warranty cost, included in “other accrued liabilities” in the consolidated balance sheets were as follows:
|  | Product |
(In millions) |  | Warranties |
Balance as of December 31, 2017 |  | $ |  | 3.6 |
Warranty expense |  |  |  | 4.6 |
Deductions and other |  |  |  | (3.4 | )
Balance as of December 31, 2018 |  | $ |  | 4.8 |
Warranty expense |  |  |  | 2.9 |
Deductions and other |  |  |  | (2.2 | )
Balance as of December 31, 2019 |  | $ |  | 5.5 |
Warranty expense |  |  |  | 1.7 |
Deductions and other |  |  |  | (4.6 | )
Balance as of December 31, 2020 |  | $ |  | 2.6 |

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