EDITORS PAGE
A Change of Heart t has taken far too long. Years, even decades. It has unnecessarily cost one of this nation's most successful and productive industries its credibility, caused it endless problems, and forced it to be on the defensive. But, led by its most influential managers, the chemical industry has finally changed its mind-set. Chemical makers have accepted that their troubles are not entirely due to such factors as unprincipled environmental extremists and a lack of public appreciation of chemicals. They have acknowledged that they have some shortcomings. They have set about reviewing and revamping their operations from top to bottom with a collective hope of earning back the public trust. As senior correspondent Lois Ember explains in a 13-page article starting on page 13 of this issue, the vehicle for this change of heart is the Responsible Care program adopted by the 175 member companies of the Chemical Manufacturers Association and now fully in place. It is an unprecedented effort for any U.S. industry. It involves practically all major chemical producers in a very public commitment to respond in specific and tangible ways to concerns about their approach to health, safety, and environmental matters. Its bold slogan is, 'Track us, don't trust us." For years the industry based its thinking maybe too much on the hugely positive benefit-torisk balance for chemicals. Chemical makers were slow to realize that when they were unresponsive to charges that their plants and products were polluting the environment and threatening health and safety, the public wasn't particularly interested in being regaled with discussions of the contributions chemicals make to the public good. These contributions are, of course, real and massive. But they were of limited relevance in this context. The industry held to a position that was not too remote from that of the apocryphal critic in a pressroom joke of a few years back. He complained the press was paying too much attention to two California women who, in separate incidents, tried to shoot then-President Ford, while saying nothing about the 5 million California women who didn't. In some ways Responsible Care is nothing new. At heart, it is a reaffirmation of the professionalism that has always pervaded chemical manufacturing operations. Nobody understands better than chemical makers that handling chemicals is a dangerous business that has to be done right. What is new about Responsible Care is the industrywide commitment to be responsive to public concerns. If the program as a whole is to work and bring both operational improvements and the eventual rebirth of public trust, its spirit must flow down from the executive suites to all chemical company functions. The tactics used too often in the past of dismissing or ridiculing public concerns, discrediting critics, and raising alarmist fears about regulatory constraints must be eschewed forever. Recent firsthand experiences of this publication indicate that this millennium has yet to be reached. But there is progress. As Ember reports, one observer comments that the public view of the chemical industry has so far moved from open hostility to open skepticism. If it's true, it's a significant first step. A distinguished old actor is reputed to have once advised an aspiring young talent that, "The secret of great acting is sincerity. If you can fake that, you've got it made." There is absolutely no indication that the chemical industry is faking it with Responsible Care. All the signs are that it is a totally sincere effort. The challenge is to convince the public of that—something that leaves almost no margin for error. Michael Heylin Editor
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Views expressed on this page are those of the author only and not necessarily those of ACS
OCTOBER 5,1992 C&EN
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