Chemical Industry Implements News Standards to Assure Sustainability

For companies that use chemicals as part of their operational processes and are interested in practicing product stewardship, chances are those organizations will measure their performance against standards that have been established by the American Chemistry Council (ACA).

Responsible Care® is a chemical industry performance initiative that is implemented in the United States through the ACA. U.S. companies that have implemented the Responsible Care protocol have reduced environmental releases by 78 percent, achieved an employee safety record that is significantly better than the U.S. manufacturing sector, generated improvements in reportable distribution accidents involving transportation of chemicals and reduced process safety incidents. Responsible Care is also a global initiative that is currently practiced in 52 countries.

Responsible Care helps America’s leading chemical companies go above and beyond government requirements for Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) risk management by implementing world-class management systems, verified through independent auditors; tracking performance through established EHS and Crisis Management measures; and extending these best practices to business partners through supply chain and vendor relations management.

For example, railroads are an integral part of the supply chain for chemical companies because they transport many of the chemicals used in manufacturing processes. So it’s significant that Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Co. recently earned certification to implement the ACC’s Responsible Care continuous-improvement process for transporting chemicals. As a result, the company has implemented policies to enhance its processes for safe transporting of products, preventing in-transit spills and providing timely notification to local communities under right-to-know provisions.

It’s another outstanding example of industry taking the lead to assure a sustainable environment for everyone.

Add comment February 8th, 2008