NOTE 11COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Environmental Matters Accruals for environmental matters are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated based on current law, existing technologies and other information. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement associated with the Companys formation, the pre-closing environmental liabilities were retained by Dow, and Dow agreed, subject to temporal, monetary, and other limitations to indemnify the Company from and against environmental liabilities incurred or relating to the predecessor periods. No environmental claims have been asserted or threatened against the Company, and the Company is not a potentially responsible party at any Superfund Sites. As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company had no accrued obligations for environmental remediation or restoration costs. Inherent uncertainties exist in the Companys potential environmental liabilities primarily due to unknown conditions, whether future claims may fall outside the scope of the indemnity, changing governmental regulations and legal standards regarding liability, and evolving technologies for handling site remediation and restoration. In connection with the Companys existing indemnification, the possibility is considered remote that environmental remediation costs will have a material adverse impact on the condensed consolidated financial statements over the next 12 months. Purchase Commitments In the normal course of business, the Company has certain raw material purchase contracts where it is required to purchase certain minimum volumes at current market prices. These commitments range from one to five years. In certain raw material purchase contracts, the Company has the right to purchase less than the required minimums and pay a liquidated damages fee, or, in case of a permanent plant shutdown, to terminate the contracts. In such cases, these obligations would be less than the annual commitment as disclosed in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Annual Report. Litigation Matters From time to time, the Company may be subject to various legal claims and proceedings incidental to the normal conduct of business, relating to such matters as employees, product liability, antitrust/competition, past waste disposal practices and release of chemicals into the environment. While it is impossible at this time to determine with certainty the ultimate outcome of these routine claims, the Company does not believe that the ultimate resolution of these claims will have a material adverse effect on the Companys results of operations, financial condition or cash flow. Legal costs, including those legal costs expected to be incurred in connection with a loss contingency, are expensed as incurred. European Commission Request for Information On June 6, 2018, Trinseo Europe GmbH, a subsidiary of the Company, received a Request for Information in the form of a letter from the European Commission Directorate General for Competition (the European Commission) related to styrene monomer commercial activity in the European Economic Area. The Company subsequently commenced an internal investigation into these commercial activities and discovered instances of inappropriate activity. On October 28, 2019, a supplemental request for information was received from the European Commission. This request was limited to historical employment, entity, and organizational structures, along with certain financial, styrene purchasing, and styrene market information, as well as certain spot styrene purchase contracts. The Company has provided this information and continues to fully cooperate with the European Commission. The proceedings with the European Commission continue and its outcome remains open. Based on its findings, the European Commission may decide to: (i) require further information; (ii) conduct unannounced raids of the Companys premises; (iii) adopt a decision imposing fines, and/or request certain behavioral or structural commitments from the Company; or (iv) in view of defense arguments by the Company close the proceedings. As a result of the above factors, the Company is unable to predict the ultimate outcome of this matter or estimate the range of reasonably possible losses that could be incurred. However, any potential losses incurred could be material to the Companys results of operations, balance sheet, and cash flows for the period in which they are resolved or become probable and reasonably estimable.