Chapter 13, Problem 13.26E

Contingency; Dow Chemical Company disclosure

• LO13–5, LO13–6

Real World Financials

The Dow Chemical Company provides chemical, plastic, and agricultural products and services to various consumer markets. The following excerpt is taken from the disclosure notes of Dow’s 2015 annual report:

In total, the Company’s accrued liability for probable environmental remediation and restoration costs was $670 million at December 31, 2015, compared with $706 million at the end of 2014. This is management’s best estimate of the costs for remediation and restoration with respect to environmental matters for which the Company has accrued liabilities, although it is reasonably possible that the ultimate cost with respect to these particular matters could range up to approximately two and a half times that amount.

Required:

Does the excerpt describe a loss contingency? Under what conditions would Dow accrue such a contingency? What journal entry would Dow use to record this amount of provision (loss)?