ASTM E3123-17

Standard Guide for Recognition and Derecognition of Environmental Liabilities

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Use—this guide is intended for use on a voluntary basis for evaluating environmental liabilities, often with Guide E2137 for estimation and Guide E2173 for disclosure. The user may elect to apply this guide for any or all of these purposes:  
4.1.1 Determining if an environmental risk or liability exists,  
4.1.2 Determining if similar environmental risks (for example, permits, plant or process expansion) are being recognized at similar points in their lifecycle,  
4.1.3 Determining if several similar environmental risks and liabilities are being managed to similar outcomes,  
4.1.4 Determining liability values,  
4.1.5 Due diligence analysis for proposed mergers, acquisitions, or spinoffs,  
4.1.6 Documenting key decisions on environmental liability provisions, reserves, budgets and cash flow forecasts.  
4.1.7 Identifying and analyzing liabilities associated with the following:
4.1.7.1 certain remedial alternatives,
4.1.7.2 future land uses, property transfer and redevelopment decisions,
4.1.7.3 land use alternatives for former landfills and chemically impacted sites,
4.1.7.4 Meeting regulatory requirements,  
4.1.8 Designing and implementing project and program controls,  
4.1.9 Defending against third-party lawsuits,  
4.1.10 Calculating insurance premiums,  
4.1.11 Making and settling insurance claims,  
4.1.12 Making purchase accounting adjustments,  
4.1.13 Preparing an audit defense, and  
4.1.14 Completing financial and investment analysis.  
4.2 Principles—the following principles are an integral part of this guide and should be used to resolve ambiguity or dispute regarding the recognition and derecognition of environmental liabilities. These principles are drawn from several sources, including historical and current accounting principles, court decisions, academic studies, as well as good commercial and customary practice.  
4.2.1 Current awareness of an entity’s accounting framework and applicable generally accepted accountin...
SCOPE
1.1 Purpose—The purpose of this guide is to provide a series of options or instructions consistent with good commercial and customary practice for recognition and derecognition of environmental liabilities. This guide is consistent with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Recognition of environmental liabilities is essential to determining the current book value of an entity. An entity may have future spending to extinguish risk and liabilities triggered in the past. Serious consequences, ranging from failed audits and poor capital stewardship to financial fraud and bankruptcy, exist for entities omitting material information from financial statements.  
1.2 Objective—This guide enables users to reliably determine if a given type of environmental liability exists and subsequently has been settled, consistent with the accounting definitions in place.  
1.3 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 14-Oct-2017
• ICS: 03.100.01 - Company organization and management in general
• Technical Committee: E50 - Environmental Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action
• Drafting Committee: E50.05 - Environmental Risk Management

Relations

• Replaced By: ASTM E3123-18 - Standard Guide for Recognition and Derecognition of Environmental Liabilities
• Effective Date: 01-Feb-2018
• Referred By: ASTM E3228-19 - Standard Guide for Environmental Knowledge Management
• Effective Date: 15-Oct-2017
• Referred By: ASTM E3358-23a - Standard Guide for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Site Screening and Initial Characterization
• Effective Date: 15-Oct-2017
• Referred By: ASTM E2107-20 - Standard Practice for Environmental Regulatory Compliance Audits
• Effective Date: 15-Oct-2017
• Referred By: ASTM E2137-22 - Standard Guide for Estimating Monetary Costs and Liabilities for Environmental Matters
• Effective Date: 15-Oct-2017
• Referred By: ASTM E3210-20 - Standard Practice for Infrastructure Management
• Effective Date: 15-Oct-2017
• Referred By: ASTM E2173-22 - Standard Guide for Disclosure of Environmental Liabilities
• Effective Date: 15-Oct-2017
• Referred By: ASTM E1903-19 - Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Process
• Effective Date: 15-Oct-2017

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: E3123 − 17
Standard Guide for
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Recognition and Derecognition of Environmental Liabilities
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E3123; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
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1. Scope 2.2 FASB – Financial Accounting Standards Board
Statement ofAccounting Concepts No. 6 Elements of Finan-
1.1 Purpose—The purpose of this guide is to provide a
cial Statements
series of options or instructions consistent with good commer-
StatementofAccountingConceptsNo.8 ConceptualFrame-
cial and customary practice for recognition and derecognition
work for Financial Reporting
of environmental liabilities. This guide is consistent with
ASC Topic 410-20 – asset retirement obligations
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Recogni-
ASC Topic 410-30 – other environmental obligations
tion of environmental liabilities is essential to determining the
ASC Topic 420 – exit/disposal costs
current book value of an entity. An entity may have future
ASC Topic 440 – commitments
spending to extinguish risk and liabilities triggered in the past.
ASC Topic 450 – contingencies
Serious consequences, ranging from failed audits and poor
ASC Topic 460 – guarantees
capital stewardship to financial fraud and bankruptcy, exist for
ASC Topic 805 – business combinations
entities omitting material information from financial state-
ASC Topic 820 – fair value measurement
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ments.
2.3 GASB – Government Accounting Standards Board:
Statement 10 – accounting and financial reporting for risk
1.2 Objective—This guide enables users to reliably deter-
financing and related insurance issues
mine if a given type of environmental liability exists and
Statement 18 – landfill closure and postclosure care costs
subsequently has been settled, consistent with the accounting
Statement 49 – pollution remediation obligations
definitions in place.
Statement 69 – government combinations and disposals of
1.3 This international standard was developed in accor-
government operations
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
Statement 70 – nonexchange financial guarantees
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Statement 72 – fair value measurement and application
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
Statement 83 – certain asset retirement obligations
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mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
2.4 IASB–International Accounting Standards Board:
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
IAS 37 – provisions, contingent liabilities and contingent
assets
2. Referenced Documents
IFRS 3 –business combinations
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IFRS 13 –fair value measurement
2.1 ASTM Standards:
E2137 Guide for Estimating Monetary Costs and Liabilities
3. Terminology
for Environmental Matters
E2173 Guide for Disclosure of Environmental Liabilities 3.1 Definitions: (italicization identifies defined terms.)
3.1.1 acceptable use—an environmental professional’s de-
E3033 Guide for Beneficial Use of Landfills and Chemically
scription of a proposed beneficial use, characterized by the
Impacted Sites
nature and duration of activities involved, for a property that is
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles:
evaluated and determined to be protective of human health,
public safety, and welfare with, if necessary, specified engi-
neering and institutional controls and established signage.
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This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E50 on
Environmental Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action and is the
direct responsibility of Subcommittee E50.05 on Environmental Risk Management.
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Current edition approved Oct. 15, 2017. Published November 2017. DOI: Available from Financial Accounting Standards Board 401 Merritt 7 P.O. Box
10.1520/E3123-17 5116 Norwalk, Connecticut 06856-5116, http://www.fasb.org
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For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or Available from GovernmentalAccounting Standards Board, 401 Merritt 7 P.O.
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Box 5116 Norwalk, Connecticut 06856-5116 http://www.gasb.org/
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Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from International Accounting Standards Board, 30 Cannon Street
the ASTM website. London, EC4M 6XH United Kingdom http://www.ifrs.org
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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E3123 − 17
3.1.2 accounting framework—the accounting standards and 3.1.13 costs and liabilities—economic expenses, accr
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