May 4, 2007—The American Chemistry Council (ACC), which represents 130 companies accounting for approximately 85 percent of US chemical production by volume, has agreed to work with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Sector Strategies Program.
ACC joins the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association (SOCMA), a participant in the program since 1998. Together, ACC and SOCMA represent the majority of chemical production in the US.
EPA’s Sector Strategies Program fosters collaboration among business, government, and non-government organizations to improve the environmental performance of major manufacturing and service sectors of the US economy. Currently, more than 20 national trade associations in 13 sectors participate in the program.
The sectors include: agribusiness; cement manufacturing; chemical manufacturing; colleges and universities; construction; forest products; iron and steel manufacturing; metal casting; metal finishing; oil and gas, paint and coatings; ports; and shipbuilding and ship repair. According to EPA, these sectors represent more than one million sites throughout the country.
The chemical industry is an essential contributor to the US economy, with about $555 billion in annual revenues, notes EPA. There are approximately 13,500 chemical manufacturing facilities in the US, owned by more than 9,000 companies. The sector is reportedly one of the nation’s largest exporters, accounting for 10 cents of every US export dollar.
For more information visit EPA’s Chemical Manufacturing Sector Strategies Program site.
