Recap of #ACCAugust - August 2023

Chemistry Advocates,

This edition is all about transitioning into #ACCAutumn – and recapping how #ACCAugust wrapped up!

We hope you followed along with our #ACCAugust travels at @AmChemMatters on Twitter, and the hashtag #ACCAugust across platforms!

Stepping into #ACCAutumn

Did you know that #ChemistryMatters invites elected officials to tour chemistry companies so they can see and gain a better understanding of how critical materials are researched and produced?

Many of these tours happen during August, which is when Congress is in recess. This is what we call #ACCAugust. If you’re curious who we met with and what we saw during the month of August, click here to visit our #ACCAugust23 recap page! Now, we’re in #ACCAutumn – which runs through the fall, where we’ll continues to teach you all about chemistry across America.

Member Highlight:

Meet Jake: The 3D Printer from Braskem. Jake is breaking the mold for manufacturing by using 3D printing to make products… sometimes using materials that otherwise were destined for the landfill.

Learn more about his work here.

Tell Congress: Reinstate CFATS now!

Congress must act quickly to bolster national security & reinstate the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS).

CFATS is the only federal program focused specifically on reducing security risks at chemical facilities. This program helps protect critical infrastructure from a range of threats, including cyber-attacks.

America lost valuable tools to combat terrorism when CFATS was allowed to expire on July 27, 2023. Without CFATS in place:

Chemical facilities can no longer vet employees against the FBI’s terrorist database
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can no longer track where chemicals of interest are manufactured, stored, or distributed.

Did you know?

According to a recent analysis by DHS, security measures at CFATS regulated facilities have increased by 60%.

CFATS deserves to be restored. It has a solid track record of helping companies large and small. We can’t afford to let our guard down. Congress must act quickly to reinstate CFATS to restore protections for chemical facilities, workers, and communities across the country.

Member Highlight

Learn more about his work here.

ACC Publishes 2023 Guide to the Business of Chemistry

American chemistry is the world’s second-largest producer, providing 11% of its chemicals and over 10% of all U.S. goods exports.

It is one of America’s largest manufacturing industries, a $639 billion enterprise providing 555,000 skilled, high-paying jobs.

For every chemistry industry job, more than six jobs are supported elsewhere in the economy.

Industries that rely on chemistry include building and construction, automotive, computers and electronics, medical equipment and supplies, furniture, household appliances, agriculture, and many more.

This year’s Guide to the Business of Chemistry includes a new section examining the importance and impact of regulations. Chemical manufacturing is the most heavily regulated subsector of manufacturing with more than one million restrictions in place that apply directly to our operations, a total that has doubled in the past 20 years.

On top of this, there are a great number of planned rules targeting chemical manufacturing that will increase the compliance costs by 50%, bringing the annual compliance costs for our industry up to roughly $4 billion a year.

Click here to catch up on the 2023 statistics behind the report.

Connect with Chemistry

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