17. Commitments and contingencies Litigation In the ordinary course of business the Company is subject to pending or threatened claims, lawsuits, regulatory matters and administrative proceedings from time to time. Where appropriate the Company has recorded provisions in the condensed consolidated financial statements for these matters. The liabilities for injuries to persons or property are in some instances covered by liability insurance, subject to various deductibles and self-insured retentions. The Company is not aware of any claims, lawsuits, regulatory matters or administrative proceedings, pending or threatened, that are material to its overall financial position, results of operations or cash flows. However, the Company cannot predict the outcome of any claims or litigation or the potential for future claims or litigation. The Company is subject to liabilities from claims alleging personal injury from exposure to asbestos. The claims result primarily from an indemnification obligation related to Univar USA Inc.s (Univar) 1986 purchase of McKesson Chemical Company from McKesson Corporation (McKesson). Univar is also a defendant in a small number of asbestos claims. As of June 30, 2019 , there were fewer than 97 asbestos-related claims for which the Company has liability for defense and indemnity pursuant to the indemnification obligation. The volume of such cases has decreased in recent quarters. Historically, the vast majority of the claims against both McKesson and Univar have been dismissed without payment. The Company does incur costs in defending these claims. While the Company is unable to predict the outcome of these matters, it does not believe, based upon currently available facts, that the ultimate resolution of any of these matters will have a material effect on its overall financial position, results of operations or cash flows. However, the Company cannot predict the outcome of any present or future claims or litigation and adverse developments could negatively impact earnings or cash flows in a particular future period. Merger-related Appraisal Litigation In connection with the previously disclosed acquisition of Nexeo Solutions, Inc., on June 26, 2019, the Company reached an agreement with BCIM Strategic Value Master Fund, LP (BCIM) to resolve a dispute regarding the fair value of 5.0 million shares of Nexeo common stock, for which BCIM sought appraisal in a petition filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery, captioned BCIM Strategic Value Master Fund, LP v. Nexeo Solutions, Inc., No. 2019-0363-KSJM. The terms of the agreement, among other matters, provide that, in exchange for a release and dismissal of all asserted claims, the Company will make a cash payment of $63.5 million to BCIM and, as a result, BCIM will relinquish any and all rights to approximately $15.1 million in cash and 1.5 million shares of Univar common stock valued at $35.5 million in the custody of Equiniti, the transfer agent. With this resolution, this cash and shares were returned to the Company. At June 30, 2019, the $63.5 million due to BCIM is recorded as a current liability within other accrued expenses and the returned Univar common stock has been recorded as canceled in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The period during which former holders of Nexeo common stock were eligible to seek appraisal has expired, and no other such claims are pending. Environmental The Company is subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations that require environmental assessment or remediation efforts (collectively environmental remediation work) at approximately 130 locations, some that are now or were previously Company-owned/occupied and some that were never Company-owned/occupied (non-owned sites). The Companys environmental remediation work at some sites is being conducted pursuant to governmental proceedings or investigations. At other sites, the Company, with appropriate state or federal agency oversight and approval, is conducting the environmental remediation work voluntarily. The Company is currently undergoing remediation efforts or is in the process of active review of the need for potential remediation efforts at approximately 108 current or formerly Company-owned/occupied sites. In addition, the Company may be liable for a share of the clean-up of approximately 22 non-owned sites. These non-owned sites are typically (a) locations of independent waste disposal or recycling operations with alleged or confirmed contaminated soil and/or groundwater to which the Company may have shipped waste products or drums for re-conditioning, or (b) contaminated non-owned sites near historical sites owned or operated by the Company or its predecessors from which contamination is alleged to have arisen. In determining the appropriate level of environmental reserves, the Company considers several factors such as information obtained from investigatory studies; changes in the scope of remediation; the interpretation, application and enforcement of laws and regulations; changes in the costs of remediation programs; the development of alternative cleanup technologies and methods; and the relative level of the Companys involvement at various sites for which the Company is allegedly associated. It is the Companys policy to record appropriate liabilities on a case by case basis when remedial efforts or claims are probable and the costs are reasonable to estimate. The Company continually monitors its own sites and work with other potentially responsible parties to deploy feasible remediation techniques. The recorded liabilities are adjusted periodically as remediation progresses or other relevant information becomes available. The level of annual expenditures for remedial, monitoring and investigatory activities will change in the future as components of planned remediation activities are completed and the scope, timing and costs of remediation are changed. Given the uncertainties regarding laws, regulations, technology, information related to sites and potentially responsible parties, the Company does not believe it is possible to develop an estimate of the range of reasonably possible losses in excess of the recorded liabilities. Project lives vary, depending on the specific site and type of remediation project. Associated cash payments are expected to be paid from operating activities. Changes in total environmental liabilities are as follows: Six months ended June 30, (in millions) 2019 2018 Environmental liabilities at beginning of period $ 83.5 $ 89.2 Revised obligation estimates 8.2 5.0 Environmental payments (8.9 ) (8.0 ) Foreign exchange  (0.1 ) Environmental liabilities at end of period $ 82.8 $ 86.1 Environmental liabilities of $31.0 million and $32.1 million were classified as current in other accrued expenses in the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 , respectively. The long-term portion of environmental liabilities is recorded in other long-term liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Customs and International Trade Laws On April 3, 2019, the Company reached a settlement in a previously disclosed case with the Department of Justice (the DOJ) regarding saccharin that allegedly transshipped from the Peoples Republic of China (China) through the Republic of China (Taiwan) and entered into commerce of the United States between 2007 and 2012. Under the settlement, the Company agreed to pay $62.5 million to fully resolve the matter. The Company does not admit any liability and the DOJ has dismissed the complaint in its entirety.