Canada's chemistry industry celebrates 20 years of Reducing Emissions

OTTAWA, Feb. 19, 2013 /CNW/ - The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) released the 20^th anniversary edition of its Reducing Emissions report today, summarizing the overall environmental performance of its member-companies' manufacturing operations.

"Before 1992, no Canadian industry was publicly reporting its emissions, let alone setting - and meeting - its own ambitious reduction targets," said Richard Paton, CIAC's President.

"Reducing Emissions has been instrumental in helping our members to shrink their environmental footprint, year after year."

Since publishing that first report two decades ago, CIAC members have:

• nearly eliminated emissions to water;
  
• exceeded their public commitments to reducing emissions of both volatile organic compounds and benzene (reducing these by 75 per cent and 98 per cent, respectively);
  
• eliminated 64 per cent of emissions of the high-priority substances targeted by Canada's Chemicals Management Plan; and
  
• substantially reduced the global-warming potential of their operations (by 60 per cent).
  

Today, a unit of chemical product is manufactured with 87 per cent fewer emissions than in 1992.

Clean air, soil and water are important priorities for Canada's chemistry industry. CIAC's ongoing, transparent reporting of emissions is a vital part of its public commitment to Responsible Care® − the association's U.N.-recognized sustainability initiative.

CIAC and its member-companies welcome the opportunity to engage Canadians in discussions about the emissions and reduction projections presented in the 20^th anniversary Reducing Emissions report. To download the complete report, visit www.canadianchemistry.ca.

The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada is the voice of Canada's $46-billion chemistry sector, which employs 83,000 Canadians directly, and supports another 417,000 jobs in the Canadian economy.

SOURCE: Chemistry Industry Association of Canada

Sarah Mayes, CIAC Public Affairs
[phone] ext. 239