Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: • Disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit markets that could adversely impact the availability of credit already arranged and the availability and cost of credit in the future; • The effect on foreign operations of currency fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks; • The current and potential future impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, results of operations, financial position or cash flows, including without any limitation, any supply chain and logistics issues; • Changes in polymer consumption growth rates and laws and regulations regarding plastics in jurisdictions where we conduct business; • Fluctuations in raw material prices, quality and supply, and in energy prices and supply; • Production outages or material costs associated with scheduled or unscheduled maintenance programs; • Unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation and environmental matters; • Our ability to pay regular quarterly cash dividends and the amounts and timing of any future dividends; • Information systems failures and cyberattacks; • Amounts for cash and non-cash charges related to restructuring plans that may differ from original estimates, including because of timing changes associated with the underlying actions; • Any material adverse changes in the equity and assets of Koninklijke DSM N.V.’s protective materials business (“the Dyneema Business”); • Our ability to achieve the strategic and other objectives relating to the acquisition of the Dyneema Business and the possible sale of the Distribution business segment; and • Other factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2022 under Item 1A, “Risk Factors.” EPS (ex Amort) 3.96$ 0.13$ 4.09$ (0.58)$ 3.51$ Pro Forma Leverage (12/31/2022E) Net Debt / Adjusted EBITDA 1.6x 3.4x 2.8x Forecast Dyneema Forecast + Dyneema Sale of Distribution Pro Forma 2022 TWO-YEAR LEVERAGE MODEL 20 3.5x 2.7x 1.6x 2.8x 2.4x 2.0x 2019PF 2020PF 2022E 2022PF 2023E 2024E Dyneema® AcquisitionClariant Color Acquisition (1) Pro forma for the acquisition of the Clariant Color business (2) Pro forma for the acquisition of Dyneema® and potential divestiture of Distribution, including repayment of senior notes due 2023 and Term Loan (1) (1) (2) OUR SPECIALTY JOURNEY CONTINUES 21 • Dyneema® brings leading technology and brand with the World’s Strongest Fiber™, deep history of application development and strong management team focused on specialty applications • Dyneema® transaction is aligned with our previously stated acquisition goal of expanding our composites and fiber capabilities • Similar to our other technology expansion acquisitions, Dyneema® allows us to leverage our invest-to-grow strategy • The possible sale of our Distribution business also presents potential benefits with respect to leverage and EBITDA margins 46% 66% 86% 100% 0% 40% 60% 80% 100% 2005 2010 2015 2021 2022 PF % o f A dj us te d EB IT D A(1 ) JVs Distribution Performance Products & Solutions Specialty (1) Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA excluding corporate costs and special items (2) Pro forma for the acquisition of Dyneema® and potential divestiture of Distribution (2) Building & 43% 14% Telecom. 2006 2022 Pro forma Building & Telecom. Annual Purchases RAW MATERIAL AND SUPPLY CHAIN UPDATE Based on 2021 purchases, excludes Distribution business DYN E E MA ACQ U I S I T I O N 32 15x stronger than steel Reduces weight by 30% vs. other solutions Well-maintained global asset base poised to serve growing demand • Purchase price of $1.48B represents 11.4x multiple of 2022 EBITDA • Acquisition will expand Avient’s composites and fiber portfolio with Dyneema®, the World’s Strongest Fiber™ • $415M sales and 30%+ EBITDA margins; Immediately accretive to pro forma 2022 EPS, adding $0.35 • 1,300 patents globally, ~50% of sales patent protected • 1,000+ employees across global production network and dedicated technology centers • Composites platform will increase from $261M to $680M in revenue and from $49M to $180M in EBITDA Indicates Dyneema® location $175M (42%) $65M (16%) $175M (42%) 2022E Sales By Region ($M) (1) $0.35 EPS excludes intangible amortization (2) Based on 2022 expected results (1) (2) (2) FIT WITH FOUR PILLAR STRATEGY 33 Specialization • Innovation-led organization with tremendous intellectual property value in trademarks, patents and “know-how” • Deep history of application development and premium, leading brand with the World’s Strongest FiberTM Globalization • Global customer base with an established presence across all major geographic regions • Global technology centers complement existing Composites applications and expertise Operational Excellence • Best-in-class safety performance • Well-run and maintained asset base fit to serve future growth • Highly effective and reliable supply chain with emphasis on optimizing service to customers Commercial Excellence • Deep customer relationships extend across the value chain and drive ability to grow • Offer a full suite of services with an active role in design, development and commercialization People Experienced and talented associates with a passion for safety, specialization and winning DYNEEMA® OVERVIEW K E Y I N D U S T R I E S PERSONAL PROTECTION Military • Law Enforcement • First Responders Body Armor • Helmets • Vehicle Protection $215M MARINE & SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE Towing / Mooring • Aquaculture • Floating Wind • Offshore Cranes $130M CONSUMER Consumer • Outdoor High Performance • Safety Equipment $70M 34 Figures reflect 2022 expected sales MIFOverview Competition Valuechain & Go-to-market Strategy Innovation Financials TECHNOLOGY 35 1,200 1,300 2,500 Avient Dyneema Combined Patents • True specialty business – the World’s Strongest Fiber™ • Deep history of application development with customers, strongest in the industry • The only UHMwPE (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) fiber producer that is backward integrated o Provides innovation advantage through control of all steps of the process • Complementary with our existing reinforced film expertise (PolyStrand) and engineered fiber presences (Fiber-Line) WINNING PROPERTIES Ultra high strength vs. weight Highly flexible Floats on water Chemically inert; no smell/taste and non-toxic High resistance to UV radiation Self-lubricating, with low friction One-of-a-kind technology ® FORMULATION PROCESS 36 • Like Avient, Dyneema® offers similar core competencies around formulation and material science • Technology that combines polymers and fibers to provide specialized, high performing solutions for customers • Design capabilities ensure that applications are highly customized for the specified end use DYNEEMA® IN THE VALUE CHAIN 37 UHMwPE Fiber / Tapes Military Personnel, Law Enforcement Heavy Marine, Offshore Wind Energy and Mooring, Aquaculture Outdoor, Footwear, Apparel, Inflatables • Material Science • Formulation • Service INTERMEDIATE MANUFACTURING (CUSTOMERS) OEM / APPLICATION DEMAND TRENDS 38 • Military spending and near-term demand for higher performing personal protection products (like Dyneema®) expected to increase o European NATO members annual defense spend expected to increase by up to 20%(1) o Japan aiming to almost double defense spending over the next 5 years(2) o Accelerated launch of next generation technology in North America • Policy-driven demand for sustainable energy; growth in floating offshore wind farms which require advanced, durable technology o Offshore wind expected to grow at a CAGR of 32% with the level of annual installations quadrupling over the next five years(3) • Continued investment in aquaculture as a sustainable food source(4) • Strong demand in outdoor high performance space across niche consumer applications aligns with 10% growth assumption for Avient’s Composites portfolio Sources: (1) “Funding NATO”, NATO.int (April 1, 2022) (2) “Japan Ruling Party Calls for Defense Spending Boost to 2% of GDP”, WSJ (April 21, 2022) (3) “Global Wind Report 2021”, Global Wind Energy Council (4) “Aquaculture Supports a Sustainable Earth”, NOAA Fisheries 39 A L I G N M E N T W I T H S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y G O A L S PRODUCTS AVIENT’S EXISTING COMPOSITES PORTFOLIO D I V E R S E C A P A B I L I T I E S A N D S O L U T I O N S S E R V I N G M A N U F A C T U R E R S A N D O E M S LFT Tapes Laminates/Panels Shapes Pultrusion Engineered Fibers 40 AVIENT’S COMPOSITES PORTFOLIO SALES AND EBITDA 41 $74 $84 $216 $212 $261 $5 $10 $32 $41 $49 $180 0 50 100 150 200 $- $50 $100 $150 $200 $250 $300 $350 $400 $450 $500 $550 $600 $650 $700 $750 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022E $680 • Dyneema® acquisition will further improve Composites EBITDA margins to 26% • Dyneema® will complement our existing portfolio with deep formulation expertise, innovative culture and global commercial presence • Composites will continue to be a key growth driver to deliver future revenue growth in excess of GDP (1) Pro forma for the acquisition of Dyneema® SEGMENT DATA U.S. & Canada 50% Latin America 2021 SEGMENT, END MARKET AND GEOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHY REVENUESEGMENT FINANCIALS 19% Building and END MARKET REVENUE (1) Total company sales and adjusted EBITDA of $4,819M and $581M, respectively, include intercompany sales eliminations and corporate costs $2,402M $409M $919M $164M $1,631M $94M Sales EBITDA Distribution Specialty Engineered Materials Color Additives and Inks $581M$4,819M 43 34% Building & 1% Telecommunications C O L O R , A D D I T I V E S & I N K S 2021 REVENUE | $2 .4 BILLION 32% 40% Latin America END MARKET REGION 44 S P E C I A LT Y E N G I N E E R E D M AT E R I A L S 27% Building & 2021 REVENUE | $919 MILLION END MARKET 55% REGION 45 D I S T R I BU T I O N 26% Building and 80% 3% Latin America END MARKET REGION K EY SU PPL IER S 2021 REVENUE | $1 .6 BILLION 46 TOTA L C O M PA N Y R E G I O N A L S A L E S BY END MARKET 30% 26%Healthcare 14% Building & 2% Energy (16% of sales) 32% Building & (25% of sales) 47 19% Building & US & Canada (50% of sales) 38% 33% Building & LATAM (9% of sales) Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited) (Dollars in millions, except for per share data) Senior management uses comparisons of adjusted net income from continuing operations attributable to Avient shareholders and diluted adjusted earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations attributable to Avient shareholders, excluding special items, to assess performance and facilitate comparability of results.

Application Development Center Long Fiber Technologies Application Development Avient long fiber technologies application development center bulletin highlighting services including design support, material validation, simulation support, and in-house prototyping

The best way to determine if thermoplastic elastomers are right for your use case is to discuss your needs with an application development expert. In more complex cases, the application development expert will relay your needs to material scientists, who create a specific formula and blend of materials to generate the properties you need. In fact, our mission is to solve the world’s most complex material science problems, and we’re here to support you all the way from research and development through production.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by these forward-looking statements include the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on our business, results from operations, financial condition and liquidity; our ability to achieve the strategic and other objectives relating to the acquisition of Clariant's color and additive masterbatch business, including any expected synergies; our ability to successfully integrate Clariant's color and additive masterbatch business and achieve the expected results of the acquisition of Clariant's color and additive masterbatch business, including, without limitation, the acquisition being accretive; disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit markets that could adversely impact the availability of credit already arranged and the availability and cost of credit in the future; the effect on foreign operations of currency fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks; changes in polymer consumption growth rates and laws and regulations regarding plastics in jurisdictions where we conduct business; changes in global industry capacity or in the rate at which anticipated changes in industry capacity come online; fluctuations in raw material prices, quality and supply, and in energy prices and supply; production outages or material costs associated with scheduled or unscheduled maintenance programs; unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation and environmental matters; an inability to raise or sustain prices for products or services; an ability to achieve or delays in achieving or achievement of less than the anticipated financial benefit from initiatives related to acquisitions and integration, working capital reductions, costs reductions and employee productivity goals; information systems failures and cyberattacks; and other factors affecting our business beyond our control, including, without limitation, changes in the general economy, changes in interest rates and changes in the rate of inflation. Special items include charges related to specific strategic initiatives or financial restructuring such as: consolidation of operations; debt extinguishment costs; costs incurred directly in relation to acquisitions or divestitures; employee separation costs resulting from personnel reduction programs, plant realignment costs, executive separation agreements; asset impairments; settlement gains or losses and mark-to-market adjustments associated with actuarial gains and losses on pension and other post-retirement benefit plans; environmental remediation costs, fines, penalties and related insurance recoveries related to facilities no longer owned or closed in prior years; gains and losses on the divestiture of operating businesses, joint ventures and equity investments; gains and losses on facility or property sales or disposals; results of litigation, fines or penalties, where such litigation (or action relating to the fines or penalties) arose prior to the commencement of the performance period; one-time, non-recurring items; and the effect of changes in accounting principles or other such laws or provisions affecting reported results.

Comptek, SilCoTec, Gordon Composites and Polystrand, including whether such businesses will be accretive, retain the management teams of acquired businesses, and retain relationships with customers of acquired businesses; disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit markets that could adversely impact the availability of credit already arranged and the availability and cost of credit in the future; our ability to achieve new business gains; the effect on foreign operations of currency fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks; changes in polymer consumption growth rates and laws and regulations regarding the disposal of plastic in jurisdictions where we conduct business; changes in global industry capacity or in the rate at which anticipated changes in industry capacity come online; fluctuations in raw material prices, quality and supply and in energy prices and supply; production outages or material costs associated with scheduled or unscheduled maintenance programs; unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation and environmental matters; an inability to achieve or delays in achieving or achievement of less than the anticipated financial benefit from initiatives related to working capital reductions, cost reductions and employee productivity goals; an inability to raise or sustain prices for products or services; our ability to continue to pay cash dividends, including at the increasing rate, which will be subject to, among other factors, market conditions, our cash flow and cash requirements and restrictions contained in any of our debt agreements; and other factors affecting our business beyond our control, including, without limitation, changes in the general economy, changes in interest rates and changes in the rate of inflation. Special items include charges related to specific strategic initiatives or financial restructuring such as: consolidation of operations; debt extinguishment costs; costs incurred directly in relation to acquisitions or divestitures; employee separation costs resulting from personnel reduction programs, plant realignment costs, executive separation agreements; asset impairments; mark-to-market adjustments associated with actuarial gains and losses on pension and other post-retirement benefit plans; environmental remediation costs, fines, penalties and related insurance recoveries related to facilities no longer owned or closed in prior years; gains and losses on the divestiture of operating businesses, joint ventures and equity investments; gains and losses on facility or property sales or disposals; results of litigation, fines or penalties, where such litigation (or action relating to the fines or penalties) arose prior to the commencement of the performance period; one-time, non-recurring items; and the effect of changes in accounting principles or other such laws or provisions affecting reported results.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by these forward-looking statements include the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on our business, results from operations, financial condition and liquidity; the time required to consummate the acquisition of Clariant's color and additive masterbatch business; the satisfaction or waiver of conditions in the purchase agreements; any material adverse changes in Clariant's color and additive masterbatch business; the ability to obtain required regulatory or other third-party approvals and consents and otherwise consummate the proposed acquisition of Clariant's color and additive masterbatch business; our ability to achieve the strategic and other objectives relating to the proposed acquisition of Clariant's color and additive masterbatch business, including any expected synergies; our ability to successfully integrate Clariant's color and additive masterbatch business and achieve the expected results of the acquisition of Clariant's color and additive masterbatch business, including, without limitation, the acquisition being accretive; disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit markets that could adversely impact the availability of credit already arranged and the availability and cost of credit in the future; the effect on foreign operations of currency fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks; changes in polymer consumption growth rates and laws and regulations regarding plastics in jurisdictions where we conduct business; changes in global industry capacity or in the rate at which anticipated changes in industry capacity come online; fluctuations in raw material prices, quality and supply, and in energy prices and supply; production outages or material costs associated with scheduled or unscheduled maintenance programs; unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation and environmental matters; an inability to raise or sustain prices for products or services; an ability to achieve or delays in achieving or achievement of less than the anticipated financial benefit from initiatives related to acquisitions and integration, working capital reductions, costs reductions and employee productivity goals; information systems failures and cyberattacks; and other factors affecting our business beyond our control, including, without limitation, changes in the general economy, changes in interest rates and changes in the rate of inflation. Special items include charges related to specific strategic initiatives or financial restructuring such as: consolidation of operations; debt extinguishment costs; costs incurred directly in relation to acquisitions or divestitures; employee separation costs resulting from personnel reduction programs, plant realignment costs, executive separation agreements; asset impairments; mark-to-market adjustments associated with actuarial gains and losses on pension and other post-retirement benefit plans; environmental remediation costs, fines, penalties and related insurance recoveries related to facilities no longer owned or closed in prior years; gains and losses on the divestiture of operating businesses, joint ventures and equity investments; gains and losses on facility or property sales or disposals; results of litigation, fines or penalties, where such litigation (or action relating to the fines or penalties) arose prior to the commencement of the performance period; one-time, non-recurring items; and the effect of changes in accounting principles or other such laws or provisions affecting reported results.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: our ability to realize anticipated savings and operational benefits from the realignment of assets, including the closure of manufacturing facilities; the timing of closings and shifts of production to new facilities related to asset realignments and any unforeseen loss of customers and/or disruptions of service or quality caused by such closings and/or production shifts; separation and severance amounts that differ from original estimates; amounts for non-cash charges related to asset write-offs and accelerated depreciation realignments of property, plant and equipment, that differ from original estimates; our ability to identify and evaluate acquisition targets and consummate acquisitions; the ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses into our operations, such as Comptek, SilCoTec, Gordon Composites and Polystrand, including whether such businesses will be accretive, retain the management teams of acquired businesses, and retain relationships with customers of acquired businesses; disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit markets that could adversely impact the availability of credit already arranged and the availability and cost of credit in the future; the financial condition of our customers, including the ability of customers (especially those that may be highly leveraged and those with inadequate liquidity) to maintain their credit availability; the speed and extent of an economic recovery, including the recovery of the housing market; our ability to achieve new business gains; the effect on foreign operations of currency fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks; changes in polymer consumption growth rates and laws and regulations regarding the disposal of plastic in jurisdictions where we conduct business; changes in global industry capacity or in the rate at which anticipated changes in industry capacity come online; fluctuations in raw material prices, quality and supply and in energy prices and supply; production outages or material costs associated with scheduled or unscheduled maintenance programs; unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation and environmental matters; an inability to achieve or delays in achieving or achievement of less than the anticipated financial benefit from initiatives related to working capital reductions, cost reductions and employee productivity goals; an inability to raise or sustain prices for products or services; an inability to maintain appropriate relations with unions and employees; our ability to continue to pay cash dividends; the amount and timing of repurchases of our common shares, if any; and other factors affecting our business beyond our control, including, without limitation, changes in the general economy, changes in interest rates and changes in the rate of inflation. Special items include charges related to specific strategic initiatives or financial restructuring such as: consolidation of operations; debt extinguishment costs; costs incurred directly in relation to acquisitions or divestitures; employee separation costs resulting from personnel reduction programs, plant realignment costs, executive separation agreements; asset impairments; mark-to-market adjustments associated with actuarial gains and losses on pension and other post-retirement benefit plans; environmental remediation costs, fines, penalties and related insurance recoveries related to facilities no longer owned or closed in prior years; gains and losses on the divestiture of operating businesses, joint ventures and equity investments; gains and losses on facility or property sales or disposals; results of litigation, fines or penalties, where such litigation (or action relating to the fines or penalties) arose prior to the commencement of the performance period; one-time, non-recurring items; and the effect of changes in accounting principles or other such laws or provisions affecting reported results.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit markets that could adversely impact the availability of credit already arranged and the availability and cost of credit in the future; the effect on foreign operations of currency fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks; changes in polymer consumption growth rates and laws and regulations regarding the disposal of plastic in jurisdictions where we conduct business; changes in global industry capacity or in the rate at which anticipated changes in industry capacity come online; fluctuations in raw material prices, quality and supply and in energy prices and supply; production outages or material costs associated with scheduled or unscheduled maintenance programs; unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation and environmental matters; an inability to raise or sustain prices for products or services; information systems failures and cyberattacks; and other factors affecting our business beyond our control, including, without limitation, changes in the general economy, changes in interest rates and changes in the rate of inflation. Special items include charges related to specific strategic initiatives or financial restructuring such as: consolidation of operations; debt extinguishment costs; costs incurred directly in relation to acquisitions or divestitures; employee separation costs resulting from personnel reduction programs, plant realignment costs, executive separation agreements; asset impairments; mark-to-market adjustments associated with actuarial gains and losses on pension and other post-retirement benefit plans; environmental remediation costs, fines, penalties and related insurance recoveries related to facilities no longer owned or closed in prior years; gains and losses on the divestiture of operating businesses, joint ventures and equity investments; gains and losses on facility or property sales or disposals; results of litigation, fines or penalties, where such litigation (or action relating to the fines or penalties) arose prior to the commencement of the performance period; one-time, non-recurring items; and the effect of changes in accounting principles or other such laws or provisions affecting reported results.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit markets that could adversely impact the availability of credit already arranged and the availability and cost of credit in the future; the effect on foreign operations of currency fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks; disruptions or inefficiencies in our supply chain, logistics, or operations; changes in laws and regulations in jurisdictions where we conduct business, including with respect to plastics and climate change; fluctuations in raw material prices, quality and supply, and in energy prices and supply; demand for our products and services; production outages or material costs associated with scheduled or unscheduled maintenance programs; unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation and environmental matters; our ability to pay regular quarterly cash dividends and the amounts and timing of any future dividends; information systems failures and cyberattacks; amounts for cash and non-cash charges related to restructuring plans that may differ from original estimates, including because of timing changes associated with the underlying actions; our ability to achieve strategic objectives and successfully integrate acquisitions, including the implementation of a cloud-based enterprise resource planning system, S/4HANA; and other factors affecting our business beyond our control, including without limitation, changes in the general economy, changes in interest rates, changes in the rate of inflation, geopolitical conflicts and any recessionary conditions. Special items include charges related to specific strategic initiatives or financial restructuring such as: consolidation of operations; debt extinguishment costs; costs incurred directly in relation to acquisitions or divestitures; employee separation costs resulting from personnel reduction programs, plant realignment costs, executive separation agreements; asset impairments; settlement gains or losses and mark-to-market adjustments associated with gains and losses on pension and other post-retirement benefit plans; environmental remediation costs, fines, penalties and related insurance recoveries related to facilities no longer owned or closed in prior years; gains and losses on the divestiture of operating businesses, gains and losses on facility or property sales or disposals; results of litigation, fines or penalties, where such litigation (or action relating to the fines or penalties) arose prior to the commencement of the performance period; one-time, non-recurring items; and the effect of changes in accounting principles or other such laws or provisions affecting reported results.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit markets that could adversely impact the availability of credit already arranged and the availability and cost of credit in the future; the effect on foreign operations of currency fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks; changes in laws and regulations regarding plastics in jurisdictions where we conduct business; fluctuations in raw material prices, quality and supply, and in energy prices and supply; production outages or material costs associated with scheduled or unscheduled maintenance programs; unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation and environmental matters; our ability to achieve strategic objectives and successfully integrate acquisitions, including Avient Protective Materials; an inability to raise or sustain prices for products or services; our ability to pay regular quarterly cash dividends, including at the increased rate, and the amounts and timing of any future dividends; information systems failures and cyberattacks; amounts for cash and non-cash charges related to restructuring plans that may differ from original estimates, including because of timing changes associated with the underlying actions; and other factors affecting our business beyond our control, including without limitation, changes in the general economy, changes in interest rates, changes in the rate of inflation and any recessionary conditions. Special items include charges related to specific strategic initiatives or financial restructuring such as: consolidation of operations; debt extinguishment costs; costs incurred directly in relation to acquisitions or divestitures; employee separation costs resulting from personnel reduction programs, plant realignment costs, executive separation agreements; asset impairments; settlement gains or losses and mark-to-market adjustments associated with gains and losses on pension and other post-retirement benefit plans; environmental remediation costs, fines, penalties and related insurance recoveries related to facilities no longer owned or closed in prior years; gains and losses on the divestiture of operating businesses, gains and losses on facility or property sales or disposals; results of litigation, fines or penalties, where such litigation (or action relating to the fines or penalties) arose prior to the commencement of the performance period; one-time, non-recurring items; and the effect of changes in accounting principles or other such laws or provisions affecting reported results.