GNC 2008 Annual Report Download - page 21

Table of Contents
Environmental Compliance
We are subject to numerous federal, state, local, and foreign environmental and health and safety laws and regulations governing our
operations, including the handling, transportation, and disposal of our non-hazardous and hazardous substances and wastes, as well as
emissions and discharges from our operations into the environment, including discharges to air, surface water, and groundwater. Failure to
comply with such laws and regulations could result in costs for remedial actions, penalties, or the imposition of other liabilities. New laws,
changes in existing laws or the interpretation thereof, or the development of new facts or changes in our processes could also cause us to incur
additional capital and operation expenditures to maintain compliance with environmental laws and regulations and environmental permits. We
also are subject to laws and regulations that impose liability and cleanup responsibility for releases of hazardous substances into the
environment without regard to fault or knowledge about the condition or action causing the liability. Under certain of these laws and regulations,
such liabilities can be imposed for cleanup of previously owned or operated properties, or for properties to which substances or wastes were
sent in connection with current or former operations at our facilities. The presence of contamination from such substances or wastes could also
adversely affect our ability to sell or lease our properties, or to use them as collateral for financing. From time to time, we have incurred costs
and obligations for correcting environmental and health and safety noncompliance matters and for remediation at or relating to certain of our
properties or properties at which our waste has been disposed. We believe we have complied with, and are currently complying with, our
environmental obligations pursuant to environmental and health and safety laws and regulations and that any liabilities for noncompliance will
not have a material adverse effect on our business or financial performance. However, it is difficult to predict future liabilities and obligations,
which could be material. 17