EPA Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3): On July 29, 2008 ACC hosted a webinar about SC3 to share information with ACC members and other interested parties. Presenters for the webinar were from two member companies BASF and DOW; EPA; and ACC. You can view a recording of the SC3 webinar in the presentations portion of the RC Toolkit. In March 2007, ACC entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes a partnership between ACC’s Responsible Care® initiative and EPA’s Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3). A copy of the Press Release can be downloaded here. ACC signed this MOU with the objective of forming a knowledgeable and motivated network of government and industry representatives (including ACC members and Responsible Care Partners) who are working to promote the safety of students, school staff, and their surrounding communities from mismanaged chemicals. The SC3 program aims to create a safer learning environment by helping schools remove improperly stored or outdated chemicals, prevent unnecessary chemical accumulations, and raise awareness of safety precautions. For more information on SC3, please view the SC3 Partner Fact Sheet and visit http://www.epa.gov/sc3. ACC members and Responsible Care Partners are encouraged to consider how their companies might best get involved in SC3 and view the SC3 Partnership Agreement Template that can be personalized by individual companies (and facilities). Please contact EPA’s Kristina Meson (703-308-8488; meson.kristina@epa.gov) with additional questions and to submit your individual company/facility Partnership Agreement.
How to get involved with SC3: To participate in the SC3 program please contact your area SC3 champion (contact), your area contact will be determined by the EPA regional map (http://www.epa.gov/epahome/regions.htm). The next step would be to review the SC3 Partnership Agreement Template with the appropriate SC3 contact and decide on how your company/facility would like to participate. You would then sign the partnership agreement and EPA will help match your company/facility with a school in your area. An alternative to this final step is for your company/facility to identify a school you are interested in working with and provide EPA with the school’s information. If you are interested in expediting your active participation in SC3, please contact EPA’s Kristina Meson (703-308-8488; meson.kristina@epa.gov) with additional questions and to submit your individual company/facility Partnership Agreement.
OSHA Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP): The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) signed an historic Alliance to recognize and promote the common health and safety commitments of ACC's Responsible Care Initiative and OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP). This is the first time OSHA has entered into an agreement with an industry-wide performance program, acknowledging the comprehensive business practices of ACC members and Responsible Care Partner Companies in health and safety performance. Specifically, the Alliance offers ACC members and Responsible Care Partners the opportunity to save time and money by taking advantage of auditing efficiencies between two excellent performance improvement programs. Gap analysis tools were finalized as a part of the Alliance for: (1) companies not yet in OSHA VPP, but already Responsible Care certified (or pursuing certification) and (2) companies already in VPP, but now pursuing Responsible Care certification. Please click here for a one-page Alliance overview. To access a Frequently Asked Questions Document (FAQs), please click here. Additionally, in an effort to more broadly communicate materials related to the Alliance, ACC is working with the Voluntary Protection Programs Association (VPPPA). VPPPA is a nonprofit charitable organization that aims to advance health and environmental performance through voluntary programs like OSHA's VPP. VPPPA members include over 1,400 companies and worksites that are involved in or in the process of applying to VPP, including many ACC member companies and facilities. ACC encourages its members and Responsible Care Partners with VPP facilities to engage with VPPPA. An article on the ACC/VPP is available in the VPPPA publication “The Leader” Winter 2007 edition. For more information, visit http://www.vpppa.org/About/index.cfm, and for a list of upcoming VPPPA events, please visit http://www.vpppa.org/Calendar/index.cfm.
EPA National Environmental Performance Track Program: EPA has signed a final Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that recognizes efficiencies between the agency's National Environmental Performance Track program (Performance Track) and ACC's Responsible Care program. The MOU significantly streamlines the Performance Track application process for ACC members and Responsible Care Partners. Under the MOU, Responsible Care-certified facilities will be deemed to have met the Performance Track requirements for an environmental management system (EMS), community outreach, and continuous environmental improvement commitments. The MOU also promotes coordinated Performance Track and Responsible Care audits for companies that choose to participate. The Performance Track electronic application has been revised to reflect the MOU.
United States Coast Guard: In December 2003, the U.S. Coast Guard identified ACC's Responsible Care Security Code Alternative Security Program (ASP) under the Maritime Transportation Security Act for purposes of fulfilling the facility security regulatory requirements of 33 C.F.R. § 105. The Responsible Care Security Code ASP is the only ASP the Coast Guard has approved for facilities - all others have been for vessels. For more information, or to obtain a copy of this sensitive security information (SSI) document, please contact Responsible Care staff
