Environmental, Health, Safety & Security - American Chemistry Council

Voluntary health, safety, security and environmental improvement actions by the chemical industry often go beyond the minimum standards set by government regulations. For example, ACC’s Responsible Care^® initiative commits members to continuously improve health, safety, security and environmental performance. The industry’s commitment to Environmental, Health & Safety (EH&S) performance underlies the important contributions made by the scientists and engineers who develop the products and technologies that improve health, safety and the environment, as well as the industry’s commitment to continuous improvement and investment in research to promote the safe use of the essential, innovative products made possible by chemistry.

Since the 1990s, EH&S spending as a share of shipments has declined, largely the result of more rapid gains in revenues. Additionally, the costs to maintain and improve EH&S programs can be significantly lower than the costs to establish them.

EH&S Spending by Basic & Specialty Chemical Producers

Environmental Performance

Established in 1986, the EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) tracks the management of certain toxic chemicals that may pose a threat to human health and the environment. U.S. facilities in different industry sectors must report annually how much of each chemical is released to the environment and/or managed through recycling, energy recovery and treatment. EPA also tracks air emissions of a set of criteria air pollutants.

43%

Reduction of SOx emissions since 2017 by Responsible Care companies

18%

Reduction of NOx emissions since 2017 by Responsible Care companies

TRI Releases by Media

The long-term downward trend in the releases by the chemical industry is evidence of the industry’s dramatic improvement in environmental performance. Additionally, the toxic releases and air emissions of criteria pollutants have declined, even as chemical production has increased.

Criteria Pollutant Emissions (in kilotons)

Worker Health & Safety

In addition to its environmental protection activities, the business of chemistry has also achieved a remarkable record of worker safety, largely as a result of elimination of job hazards and the industry’s initiatives in implementing effective safety programs. Chemical manufacturers spend billions of dollars per year improving worker health and safety, and the value of these investments is supported by government data showing that industry-wide illness and injury rates in chemical manufacturing are far below that of manufacturing as a whole.

4X

Better worker safety rate from Responsible Care companies than the U.S. manufacturing sector as a whole

Trends in occupational Injury and Illness Rates

Security Spending

Investing in Security

The chemical industry manufactures products that are vital to the everyday health and well-being of our nation, which is why the Department of Homeland Security designated the chemical industry as one of sixteen “critical infrastructure sectors."

Following the swift establishment of the Responsible Care Security Code following the 9/11 attacks, ACC members have invested billions of dollars to enhance site, transportation and cyber security at their facilities.

Business leaders are increasingly investing in the security of their companies’ people and information, as well as process plants, equipment, technology, storage facilities and buildings.