Misleading news reports have created much confusion about the presence of PFAS chemistries in bodies of water around the country. We wanted to take the opportunity to lay out the facts. All PFAS Are Not The Same PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large and diverse family of chemistry that makes possible the products […]
Each August, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) promotes the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Safe + Sound Week — a nationwide event emphasizing the importance of workplace health and safety and recognizing the successes of workplace safety programs. While we are excited to continue our tradition of highlighting the significance of workplace safety programs […]
While plastic makers in the U.S. have different approaches and areas of focus, we’re all united on the need to solve the problem of plastic waste. Together, America’s Plastic Makers are helping to lead the way and we’re confident that we can address this problem as a nation. Three years ago, we established two ambitious […]
Replacing HFCs with low GWP foam blowing agents helps building owners, appliance manufacturers, and others meet sustainability goals Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are highly potent greenhouse gases (GHGs) that are common in products like refrigerators, air conditioners, insulation and many others. The chemical industry has made significant investments in new technologies to replace these chemicals with more […]
Congress moved one step closer to enacting infrastructure legislation yesterday when Senate lawmakers voted to begin debate on the latest version of their bipartisan deal with the Biden Administration. While the text has not been released yet, all indications are that the plan continues to include $13 billion in new Superfund taxes on 42 chemicals, […]
In an op-ed published in Morning Consult today, ACC President and CEO Chris Jahn explains why Superfund taxes on chemicals, critical minerals, and metallic elements must not be included in the bipartisan infrastructure plan being crafted by Senate lawmakers and the Biden administration. “By taxing the components of basic products, Congress would be asking consumers […]
There has been significant activity in the first half of this year regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or fluorotechnology. PFAS are vital to enabling our lives in the 21st century. PFAS are a large and diverse universe of chemistries that make possible the products that power our lives — the cellphones, tablets and telecommunications […]
The products of silicone chemistry enable our nation’s efforts to improve energy efficiency — from insulation to coolants to packaging — and are critical to the many innovative technologies that help drive cleaner energy options, create green jobs and propel U.S. economic growth. Globally, it is estimated that about 962,000 tons of silicone products annually […]
For decades, organizations like the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Green Building Initiative (GBI), and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) have been leaders in educating architects, builders, designers and other stakeholders on the importance of improving the health, environmental and sustainability impacts of buildings and materials. These efforts have led to a […]
Common Questions (and Answers!) about One of the Hottest Growth Areas in Plastics Recycling You might have read that recent developments in advanced recycling are turning old problems into new possibilities. More and more, advanced recycling technologies are picking up where traditional recycling leaves off, helping to convert significantly more used plastic into new products, […]
Here’s a Quick Look at What’s New. (Read and Watch!) Earlier this year a colleague predicted that “2021 will mark a significant turning point for advanced plastics recycling,” citing multiple announcements from some of the biggest names in plastics. Why is this important? Because advanced recycling makes it possible to recover large volumes of plastics […]
The recent re-introduction of the PFAS Action Act in the U.S. House of Representatives has revived the conversation surrounding the regulation of per- and polyfluorinated substances known as PFAS. During the 2020 presidential campaign, then-Vice President Joe Biden made a commitment to the American people to lead with “science and truth” as president when considering big decisions on public […]
In May, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) ramped up our trade advocacy by highlighting the essentiality of imports to U.S. chemicals manufacturing and by calling on Ambassador Tai and the U.S. Senate to take action on the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB), which would suspend duties on imported inputs that are vital to our industry’s global […]
In its review of the proposed Kansas City Southern merger with another Class I railroad, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and its member companies are calling on the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to address a series of potential harmful issues before approving any agreement. Dramatic operational changes and consolidation of the freight rail industry over […]
When we think of U.S. jobs supported by overseas trade, our minds may naturally gravitate toward jobs that are made possible by exports. Selling more U.S.-made goods overseas is indeed a proven job-creator – and that’s true of the domestic chemicals industry as well – but it’s important not to overlook the role that imports […]
Lots of questions. At last month’s (virtual) Plastics Recycling Conference, I participated on a panel that discussed public policies that could enable more plastics recycling. After last year’s (non-virtual) conference, I wrote that plastic makers were focused on how “the entire plastic value chain can move from the past’s linear model… to a new circular […]
AMP Robotics was recently honored as a finalist in Fast Company’s 2021 World-Changing Ideas Awards. The company’s groundbreaking innovation is an artificial intelligence (AI) platform— a robot— designed to more efficiently sort plastic packaging at materials recovery facilities (MRFs) and other recycling facilities by running secondary sortation, a process that applies advanced automation enabled by AI to economically sort through low volumes of residue or mixed plastics […]
Yes, it’s Infrastructure Week. Again! And, it couldn’t come soon enough. One of the few issues everyone in Washington and across the nation can agree on is that America’s aging and failing infrastructure is in desperate need of attention. Infrastructure is one of the few unifying issues in Congress that is on the must do […]
The Center for Biocide Chemistries (CBC) launched a new campaign, The Science of Helping Others, to spotlight the charitable and community-focused efforts of the antimicrobial industry throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March 2020, when many Americans began quarantining, numerous CBC member companies extended themselves by donating millions of dollars in funds, products, and equipment to […]
Critical infrastructure supports the key functions necessary to enhance society, protect our environment, and create a safer and more sustainable future. Numerous industries, including agriculture, communications, defense, energy, health and medicine, technology, and transportation depend upon the performance and reliability of our national infrastructure to enhance virtually every aspect of our lives. But many agree, […]