Responsible Care® companies are committed to protecting the communities in which they operate and the environment as a whole. All ACC member companies publicly report on their progress in meeting environmental performance measurements in the following areas:
Protecting the Environment
Reducing Hazardous Air Pollutants
Responsible Care companies report emissions of Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAPs) to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program.
From 2010 to 2021, Responsible Care facilities within the ACC membership have reduced HAPs emissions by approximately 26 percent.
*Due to enhancements in data scope and collection efforts, data collected in 2020 may not be comparable to prior years.
HAPs Emissions (Millions of Pounds)
Reducing SOx/NOx Emissions
Protecting air quality is critical to public and environmental health. Nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur oxide (SOx) are specific pollutants emitted by industrial and manufacturing facilities that can impact air quality, and thus can be used as core environmental air quality indicators. SOx and NOx emissions are controlled and monitored under the Clean Air Act requirements, and ACC member companies have implemented a variety of measures to reduce their emissions.
SOX & NOX Emissions
Water Consumption
Water consumption is a global issue – around 780 million people around the world lack access to clean and safe drinking water, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The chemical industry is working to protect water quality and minimize adverse impacts on this critical natural resource.
In 2008, ACC member companies began tracking water consumption, defined as the net amount of water used in chemical manufacturing. The graph below depicts ACC members' water use since 2011.
Water Consumption (Millions of Gallons)
ACC members report their data to ACC for aggregating and sharing on this website. Reporting due dates occur in February and May for the previous year’s data. The metrics data are subject to review, and information on this website may change if updated information becomes available.