ACC Association News
Dave Weidman, chairman and CEO, Celanese Corp., incoming chairman of the American Chemistry Council
ACC SmartBrief | Dec 23, 2008
ACC SmartBrief editor Angela Giroux corresponded with the incoming chairman of the American Chemistry Council, Dave Weidman, to get his thoughts on what's in store for the chemistry industry next year.
As incoming board chairman of the ACC, what accomplishments would you like to say you achieved at the end of 2009?
The chemicals industry is facing a very dynamic environment. A new administration and changes on Capitol Hill bring both opportunities and challenges. On a broader scale, the industry needs to continue its work to ensure the public's understanding of the safety of our products. Along these lines, we must push for positive changes that address legitimate public concerns without damaging our ability to do business. And while we find ourselves in a weakened economic environment, we must stay focused on supporting our advocacy priorities and objectives.
What drew you to working in the chemistry industry?
As a teenager, I was very interested in chemistry and technology, and also in working with teams and organizations. I was honored to be named as one of the top 40 high school science students and be elected to lead a large, multistate service organization. After graduating from Brigham Young University with a chemical engineering degree, and then earning my MBA from the University of Michigan, I started my career doing strategic planning and new product marketing. Throughout my career, I've enjoyed playing a small role in helping our innovative industry successfully address societal concerns, such as conserving energy, making more clean water available, and increasing human health. I believe that our industry's creativity and innovations are essential to solving many of our world's biggest challenges.
How do you believe the slowdown in the economy will impact the industry during your term as ACC chairman?
As our industry responds to the evolving needs of the global marketplace and a challenging world economy, we see opportunities ahead. To succeed in this difficult economic time, our industry must deliver value to global customers, embrace change and innovate. This slowdown in the global economy will give our industry a chance to help our customers create new models of success. I believe our members need to know that during this time of an economic downturn and a new political environment in Washington and in many of our states, the ACC will continue to effectively and efficiently focus advocacy efforts on those issues that are vital to our industry.
Can you give examples of efforts by the industry, or your company, to become more sustainable?
Sustainability is being embedded in our industry's culture. In the end, most in our industry acknowledge that sustainability is an economic, environmental and social prerequisite for continued commercial success. One example of Celanese's sustainability efforts is our energy-reduction commitment. At the beginning of the decade, a goal was set to reduce the energy Celanese uses to make our products by 20% by 2005. Celanese exceeded that goal with a reduction of 22%. Continuing with this commitment, Celanese has set a goal of reducing our energy index by an additional 20% as part of our 2010 sustainability goals. At present, we are on track to exceed this milestone. Achieving this goal will result in an energy reduction of more than 35% by 2010 -- enough energy saved to power a city the size of St. Paul, Minnesota.
What do you believe are the greatest benefits of the products of chemistry?
At our core, we are an industry that develops and manufactures products essential to today's modern society -- and one that is active in creating products required by the modern society of tomorrow. The value chemistry brings to safety, health, the economy and the environment -- fundamental parts of American life -- is beyond measure. Advanced technological achievements; advancements in medicine, science and exploration; energy discovery and conservation; and protecting and preserving our environmental resources, all are made possible through chemistry. Simply put, you can't go anywhere or do anything that doesn't rely on advancements made through modern chemistry.
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ACC SmartBrief | Dec 22, 2008
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Make a new year's resolution to recycle
ACC SmartBrief | Dec 18, 2008
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American produces about 1,600 pounds of trash per year. Too much trash going into landfills contains recyclable products that should be going into the recycle bin! To encourage consumers to make an eco-friendly new year's resolution, the American Chemistry Council asked Bob Lilienfeld, editor of the Use Less Stuff Report, to help provide a simple "how to" guide for reusing and recycling everyday plastics that will result in savings to the pocketbook and to the environment. Read more here.
Learn what CHEMTREC can do for your company
ACC SmartBrief | Dec 17, 2008
An initiative of the American Chemistry Council, CHEMTREC® -- the Chemical Transportation Emergency Center -- has been a global leader in the hazmat-response community since 1971. Learn the role of CHEMTREC in the hazardous materials shipping industry, the emergency call process and how CHEMTREC registration can assist in protecting your company as the chemical industry continues to expand in the global marketplace by viewing a short informational video: http://www.chemtrec.com.
Nomination process for the 2008 Responsible Care® Energy Efficiency Award now open
ACC SmartBrief | Dec 16, 2008
The Energy Efficiency Award Program gives ACC members an opportunity to nominate for council recognition their exceptional successes in conserving energy, reducing costs and mitigating CO2 emissions. The positive results of winning entries are core elements of our communications with the administration, Congress and other policymakers about national energy policy and greenhouse-gas emissions issues. Background and application materials are available at www.rctoolkit.com/awards.asp, and nominations should be submitted by March 13, 2009.
New guidance document addresses data privacy in the European Union
ACC SmartBrief | Dec 11, 2008
The American Chemistry Council's Chemical Sector Cyber Security Program released a guidance document outlining evolving cyber-security regulations and key issues related to data privacy and data protection in the European Union, and the implications of these issues from an information-security standpoint. Please visit the Guidance Documents page on the Cyber Security Program Web site to download the Data Privacy in the European Union guidance document today. Read more here.
Los Angeles city councilman teams up with the American Chemistry Council to give Brentwood more recycling options
ACC SmartBrief | Dec 09, 2008
Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl (11th District), the American Chemistry Council and the Brentwood Village Chamber of Commerce have unveiled a new program that gives Brentwood Village residents and businesses more access to "away-from-home" recycling opportunities, helping to keep plastics and other products out of the waste stream and in recycling bins. Read more here.
Presidential green chemistry challenge awards
ACC SmartBrief | Dec 08, 2008
EPA is accepting nominations for the 2009 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. These awards recognize innovative chemical technologies that incorporate green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture and use -- and that have broad applications in industry. Nominations must be postmarked no later than Dec. 31 to be eligible for the 2009 awards, which will be presented on June 22. For more information on the nomination and awards process, see: http://www.epa.gov/greenchemistry/pubs/pgcc/howto.html.
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