Chemistry plays an essential role in the products and technologies people use every day.
Advancing Sustainable Chemistry
ACC's 2024 Sustainability Report
Jenny Heumann Godes
Table of Contents
Chemical Industry Actions
ACC member companies are innovators – developing products crucial to advancing sustainability in our communities and around the world. They also make sure that chemicals are produced and used in ways that protect people’s health and the environment.
Sustainable Chemistry is multi-faceted. Chemists and engineers at ACC member companies weigh many aspects of sustainability and sustainable chemistry as they design and develop new products. Some of these criteria include:
- Designing for circularity throughout a product’s lifecycle, so it can be reused or recovered at the end of its useful life.
- Developing products that reduce impacts on climate and GHG emissions, both in their manufacture and their use.
- Innovating products that protect human health and the environment, both in their production process and their end uses.
- Contributing to societal needs, as outlined by the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
Sustainable Chemistry Principles
In June 2023, ACC’s Board of Directors approved Sustainable Chemistry Principles that present a holistic, risk-based approach to developing the next generation of chemicals and materials.
- The Sustainable Chemistry Principles are designed to help protect human health, conserve natural resources, minimize waste, enhance communities and society, and foster technical innovation.
- The Principles also demonstrate ACC members’ commitments to sustainable chemistry using a science-based approach, as well as integrating product safety and sustainability considerations into new product and process development.
Transparency is a key element of sustainable chemistry. ACC members provide information to customers and the public about the products they manufacture and how they are assessed for safety. And governments around the world regularly assess chemicals and provide risk-based information on their safety.
$13
Billion plus invested in research and development by chemical companies in 2022
ACC members are developing more sustainable products and processes, adopting innovative materials and new technologies, to continually improve product safety and lower carbon emissions. And ACC members review current product portfolios to help steer them toward greater sustainability outcomes. The Responsible Care® Product Safety Code details steps ACC member companies must take to assess and manage chemical product safety.
ACC Member Company Sustainable Chemistry Innovations
ACC members are committed to the safety of the products they manufacture and providing transparent information.
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