Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) is a spray-applied product widely used to insulate buildings and seal cracks and gaps, improving energy efficiency and home comfort. If you’ve ever seen a video clip of SPF being installed, you know why it is the product of choice for so many professionals. It reacts quickly, fills the wall cavities […]
Over the past few years, headlines have claimed everything from shift work to drinking “very hot” beverages can cause cancer. These alarmist headlines stemmed from the work of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs Program, which evaluates cancer hazards. The Monographs Program only examines cancer hazards (the potential of an “agent” or […]
The following blog is a segment of a three part series regarding EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program. Part III: The Industry’s Commitment to Objective Chemical Assessments Over the past several months, there have been claims that industry is trying to block chemical assessments. Industry does not seek to discredit or limit regulation; rather […]
The following blog is a segment of a three part series regarding EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program. Part II: The Truth Media stories, fueled by false claims, have painted a picture that EPA has concluded there is a link between formaldehyde exposure and leukemia, and that “industry” is trying to cover it up. […]
The following blog is a segment of a three part series regarding EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program. Part I: The Science For years, scientists have investigated formaldehyde chemistry to help determine appropriate regulatory levels, safe exposure threshold levels, and whether there is any causal link between formaldehyde exposure and cancer. Since the 1990s, […]
This week, the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will be holding a hearing on EPA’s troubled Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program. Given the attention it will be receiving, we wanted to provide you with some important information about IRIS’s problematic track record. What is IRIS? EPA originally designed the IRIS program […]
We are quickly approaching the third anniversary of the 2016 amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which was signed into law on June 22 of that year after passing Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support. To date, EPA has consistently met the law’s key deadlines and requirements and demonstrated the agency’s commitment to effective […]
Since homeowners, construction professionals, and do-it-yourselfers have asked the question “how to do it better,” spray polyurethane foam (SPF) has often been the answer. Whether determining how to make a home more energy efficient, to improving building strength and durability, and to helping lower energy usage, SPF offers a highly effective solution. SPF is a […]
For years, formaldehyde chemistry has faced close scrutiny regarding appropriate regulatory levels, safe exposure threshold levels, and the potential link between formaldehyde exposure and cancer. This is despite decades worth of peer-reviewed studies demonstrating safe exposure levels and lack of association with cancers at current relevant human exposure levels. As part of an ongoing portfolio […]
Chlorine is indispensable to maintaining crystal clear, sanitized swimming pool water. However, when reports emerged that swimmers and pool staff were being accidentally exposed to chlorine gas at pools, there was a need to help stop these incidents. One incident of a chlorine gas exposure involved an equipment malfunction at a swim school in California […]
There’s nothing lightweight about the safety of lightweighting. And although lightweighting is shown by the federal government’s own studies to be lifesaving (the EPA estimates that reducing vehicle weight can save approximately 451 lives per billion miles traveled), the current political climate is espousing that the “relatively cost-effective technology option of vehicle lightweighting…will increase on-road […]
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) dispatched good news for expanded use of combined heat and power (CHP) and waste heat to power (WHP) this week, adopting a resolution to examine issues related to standby rates. ACC is proud to support the resolution, which focuses on two important industrial energy efficiency systems. CHP […]
As global awareness about plastic waste in our ocean grows, people are starting to act: companies are pledging to use more recycled content; some governments are setting goals to address highly littered products; and people are looking for ways to reduce their plastic footprint. Each of these steps has an important role to play, particularly […]
Do you know the important benefits of antimicrobials? These great products of chemistry do more than you think! Antimicrobials, also known as biocides, help prevent the growth and spread of microbes. Different classes of antimicrobials kill many disease-causing viruses, bacteria, and fungi, support material preservation and prevent microorganism growth in manufacturing and industrial processes. In […]
On the big screen, some of our favorite superheroes can shrink to the size of a tiny insect or toy thanks to a little Hollywood magic. But what if science could make it happen in real life? MIT engineers may have taken us one step closer by recently sharing how to create 3-D nanoscale objects of nearly any shape. These tiny nanoscale structures could have applications in […]
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP’s) recently published a flawed technical report, “Food Additives and Child Health,” that has created unwarranted concern about perfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFCs) in food packaging.[1] It is important to set the record straight and address some of the problems with the report. Before detailing specific concerns about the Report, however, it […]
Recognizing the importance of free trade to the highly-integrated, North American supply chain, U.S. chemicals manufacturers welcomed last Friday’s signing of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in Buenos Aires. However, legitimate concerns remain about insufficient Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) protections under the newly-inked trade pact – a subject which this post will review in greater depth. […]
There are many things Congress must address before it is set to adjourn but none can be more urgent than passing legislation to preserve one of the nation’s most important anti-terrorism programs, the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS). Chemistry is the lifeblood of our economy — directly touching 96 percent of all manufactured goods. Securing […]
It’s that time of year again – time to rake the leaves, baste the turkey, and, for some of us, to prepare for Black Friday and the traditional kick-off of the holiday shopping season. In another nod to tradition, it’s time for one advocacy group to issue its annual retailer report card, which calls into […]
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)[1] has put forth a set of policy recommendations based on a hypothesis that the presence of certain chemicals in the diet suggests potential adverse effects on children’s health. “Phthalates” are among the chemical names in the policy recommendations and accompanying technical report (Trasande et al. 2018).[2] To prevent misunderstandings […]