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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Notes)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation
Except as otherwise indicated by the context, the terms "Corporation" and "UCC" as used herein mean Union Carbide Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries. The accompanying consolidated financial statements of the Corporation were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") and include the assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of all majority-owned subsidiaries over which the Corporation exercises control and, when applicable, entities for which the Corporation has a controlling financial interest. Investments in nonconsolidated affiliates (20-50 percent owned companies, joint ventures and partnerships) are accounted for using the equity method.

The Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company ("TDCC"). In accordance with the accounting guidance for earnings per share, the presentation of earnings per share is not required in financial statements of wholly owned subsidiaries.

TDCC conducts its worldwide operations through global businesses. The Corporation’s business activities comprise components of TDCC’s global businesses rather than stand-alone operations. Because there are no separate reportable business segments for UCC under the accounting guidance related to segment reporting and no detailed business information is provided to a chief operating decision maker regarding the Corporation’s stand-alone operations, the Corporation’s results are reported as a single operating segment.

Intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation. Transactions with the Corporation’s parent company, TDCC, and other subsidiaries of TDCC, have been reflected as related company transactions in the consolidated financial statements. See Note 18 for additional information.
Use of Estimates in Financial Statement Preparation
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires the use of estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The Corporation's consolidated financial statements include amounts that are based on management's best estimates and judgments. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Significant Accounting Policies
Asbestos-Related Matters
Accruals for asbestos-related matters, including defense and processing costs, are recorded based on an analysis of claim and resolution activity, defense spending and pending and future claims. These accruals are assessed at each balance sheet date to determine if the asbestos-related liability remains appropriate. Accruals for asbestos-related matters are included in the consolidated balance sheets in "Asbestos-related liabilities - current" and "Asbestos-related liabilities - noncurrent." See Note 13 for additional information.

Legal Costs
The Corporation expenses legal costs as incurred, with the exception of defense and processing costs associated with asbestos-related matters.

Foreign Currency Translation
While the Corporation's consolidated subsidiaries are primarily based in the United States, the Corporation has small subsidiaries in Asia Pacific and the rest of the world. For those subsidiaries, the local currency has been primarily used as the functional currency. Translation gains and losses of those operations that use local currency as the functional currency are included in the consolidated balance sheets in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" ("AOCL"). Where the U.S. dollar is used as the functional currency, foreign currency translation gains and losses are reflected in income.

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 and existing technologies. These accruals are adjusted periodically as assessment and remediation efforts progress or as additional technical or legal information becomes available. Accruals for environmental liabilities are included in the consolidated balance sheets in "Accrued and other current liabilities" and "Other noncurrent obligations" at undiscounted amounts. Accruals for related insurance or other third-party recoveries for environmental liabilities are recorded when it is probable that a recovery will be realized and are included in the consolidated balance sheets in "Accounts receivable - Other."

Environmental costs are capitalized if the costs extend the life of the property, increase its capacity, and/or mitigate or prevent contamination from future operations. Environmental costs are also capitalized in recognition of legal asset retirement obligations resulting from the acquisition, construction and/or normal operation of a long-lived asset. Costs related to environmental contamination treatment and cleanup are charged to expense. Estimated future incremental operations, maintenance and management costs directly related to remediation are accrued when such costs are probable and reasonably estimable.

Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include time deposits and investments with maturities of three months or less at the time of purchase.

Financial Instruments
The Corporation calculates the fair value of financial instruments using quoted market prices when available. When quoted market prices are not available for financial instruments, the Corporation uses standard pricing models with market-based inputs that take into account the present value of estimated future cash flows.

Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The method of determining cost for each subsidiary varies among last-in, first-out ("LIFO"); first-in, first-out ("FIFO"); and average cost, and is used consistently from year to year.
The Corporation routinely exchanges and swaps raw materials and finished goods with other companies to reduce delivery time, freight and other transportation costs. These transactions are treated as non-monetary exchanges and are valued at cost.

Property
Land, buildings and equipment are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation. Property under finance lease agreements is carried at the present value of lease payments over the lease term less accumulated amortization. Depreciation is based on the estimated service lives of depreciable assets and is calculated using the straight-line method. Fully depreciated assets are retained in property and accumulated depreciation accounts until they are removed from service. In the case of disposals, assets and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, and the net amounts, less proceeds from disposal, are included in income.

Impairment and Disposal of Long-Lived Assets
The Corporation evaluates long-lived assets (property, finite-lived intangible assets and right-of-use assets) for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. When undiscounted future cash flows are not expected to be sufficient to recover an asset's carrying amount, the asset is written down to its fair value based on bids received from third parties or a discounted cash flow analysis based on market participant assumptions.

Long-lived assets to be disposed of by sale, if material, are classified as held for sale and reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell, and depreciation/amortization is ceased. Long-lived assets to be disposed of other than by sale are classified as held and used until they are disposed of and reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair value, and depreciation/amortization is recognized over the remaining useful life of the assets.

Other Intangible Assets
Finite-lived intangible assets, such as developed technology and software, are amortized over their estimated useful lives, generally on a straight-line basis for periods ranging primarily from three to twenty years.

Investments in Related Companies
Investments in related companies consist of the Corporation's ownership interests in TDCC subsidiaries located in the United States and Latin America. The Corporation accounts for these investments using the cost method as it does not have significant influence over the operating and financial policies of these related companies.

Leases
UCC determines whether a contract contains a lease at contract inception. A contract contains a lease if there is an identified asset and the Corporation has the right to control the asset. Operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets represent UCC’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liabilities represent UCC’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. UCC uses the incremental borrowing rate in determining the present value of lease payments, unless the implicit rate is readily determinable. If lease terms include options to extend or terminate the lease, the ROU asset and lease liability are measured based on the reasonably certain decision. Leases with a term of 12 months or less at the commencement date are not recognized on the balance sheet and are expensed as incurred.

UCC has lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, which are accounted for as a single lease component for nearly all classes of leased assets for which UCC is the lessee. Additionally, for certain equipment leases, the portfolio approach is applied to account for the operating lease ROU assets and lease liabilities. In the consolidated statements of income, lease expense for operating lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. For finance leases, interest expense is recognized on the lease liability and the ROU asset is amortized over the lease term.

Some leasing arrangements require variable payments that are dependent upon usage or output, or may vary for other reasons, such as insurance or tax payments. Variable lease payments are recognized as incurred and are not presented as part of the ROU asset or lease liability. See Note 14 for additional information.
Revenue
Substantially all of the Corporation's revenues are generated by sales to TDCC. Revenue for product sales to related companies is recognized when the related company obtains control of the product, which occurs either at the time that production is complete or shipped free on board ("FOB") from UCC's manufacturing facility, in accordance with the sales agreement between the Corporation and TDCC. The Corporation recognizes revenue for product sales to trade customers when its customer obtains control of promised goods or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration which the Corporation expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. To determine revenue recognition, the Corporation performs the following five steps: (1) identify the contract(s) with a customer, (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (3) determine the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and (5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. See Note 3 for additional information.

Severance Costs
Management routinely reviews its operations around the world in an effort to ensure competitiveness across its operations and geographic regions. When the reviews result in a workforce reduction related to the shutdown of facilities or other optimization activities, severance benefits are provided to employees primarily under ongoing benefit arrangements. These severance costs are accrued once management commits to a plan of termination and it becomes probable that employees will be entitled to benefits at amounts that can be reasonably estimated.

Income Taxes
The Corporation accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences of temporary differences between the carrying amounts and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets or liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. The Corporation is included in the same consolidated federal income tax group and consolidated income tax return as TDCC. The Corporation accounts for its income taxes following the formula in the TDCC-UCC Tax Sharing Agreement used to compute the amount due to TDCC or UCC for UCC's share of taxable income and tax attributes on the consolidated income tax return. This method generally follows the separate return method. The amounts reported as income taxes payable or receivable represent the Corporation's payment obligation (or refundable amount) to TDCC based on a theoretical tax liability calculated on a separate return method.

The Corporation recognizes the financial statement effects of an uncertain income tax position when it is more likely than not, based on the technical merits, that the position will be sustained upon examination. The Corporation accrues for non-income tax contingencies when it is probable that a liability to a taxing authority has been incurred and the amount of the contingency can be reasonably estimated.

Provision is made for taxes on undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries and related companies to the extent that such earnings are not deemed to be permanently invested.