When it comes to safeguarding communities and the environment, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and its member are committed to being good neighbors. This commitment is embodied in ACC’s Responsible Care® program, and it’s demonstrated through projects like the joint air monitoring initiative we just announced with officials from Harris County and the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC).
The groundbreaking project was made possible through a collaborative effort between Harris County, an independent research group and private industry. To get the project off the ground, the ACC Foundation provided a $1 million grant to Harris County to purchase new air monitoring equipment and support the development of new scientific tools to interpret air monitoring data.
The deployment of new equipment includes stationary, mobile and handheld monitors, which will enhance the collection of air monitoring data and improve air quality knowledge. One of the more unique aspects of the project involves the creation of new protocols by HARC, which will help the County better understand and communicate air monitoring results.
As ACC’s President and CEO, Chris Jahn pointed out, “One of the project’s important strengths is that in addition to providing local officials with an array of new air monitoring equipment, it also allows officials to draw on the scientific expertise of HARC. It’s a tremendous team effort that will greatly improve the county’s ability to collect, analyze and share information about air quality, especially during an emergency.”
This new air monitoring initiative is a good example of what can be accomplished when industry and local officials and the scientific community work together to achieve a shared goal - improving environmental performance and taking care of communities. We hope that this project can serve as a potential model for working with other communities.