ACC updates Responsible Care figures

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) has said that recently released Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 150 of its members on their Responsible Care activities shows “momentous progress in safety and environmental performance” in the past five years. In particular the association noted: 

* Four and three times better worker safety rates than the US manufacturing sector as a whole and the “overall business of chemistry” respectively 

* 19% reduction in Tier 1 Process Safety Events, with almost 90% of reported Tier 1 events considered low severity 

* 17% reduction in Total Recordable Injury Rate for employees and 11% for contractors 

* 25% reduction in distribution incidents 

* 5%, 14% and 5% reductions in energy intensity, greenhouse gas intensity and total water consumed, respectively 

* 45% and 19% reduction in SOx and NOx emissions, respectively 

“This year was a banner year for our programme, as our members reported the lowest ever employee injury rate in the history of Responsible Care and marked decreases in process safety events, all while supporting clean air and reducing energy and water use,” claimed Mitch Toomey, VP of sustainability and Responsible Care at the ACC. All members are required to implement Responsible Care. 

The ACC board has also approved the newly developed Water Stewardship Principles, which it describes as a set of principles that illustrate its and its members’ water stewardship initiatives. These focus on: 

* Undertaking effective water management practices, including compliance with relevant regulations, understanding company water usage, and working to mitigate water-related risks 

* Recognising water as a shared resource and engaging with stakeholders on water stewardship and enhancing water accessibility and quality

* Using transparent methodologies to report on water issues such as consumption, withdrawal, discharge and reuse and incorporating local concerns into risk assessments 

* Collaborating with external stakeholders to mitigate water risks across the value chain, reducing stress on water resources and improving water quality and quality in their facilities and communities