NEWS OF THE
WEEK
presenting the first ones in 1987, says James Bradford, manager of the NCW office at ACS headquarters. The most popular types of projects this year, he notes, are exhibits and demonstrations at shopping malls, museums, and libraries; contests and demonstrations at elementary and middle schools; and open houses by chemical companies and university chemistry departments. As in past years, the message to the public is that chemistry plays an essential role in almost every aspect of modern life, and informed choices about chemistry and chemicals must involve balancing benefits and risks. Officially, Bradford points out, this is an "off-year" for NCW, since ACS has been holding a full-blown NCW every other year. However, the ACS Board approved some funding for his office to provide a limited quantity of materials to sections that want to hold programs this year. All in all, he says, "the sections have scheduled a lot more programs than we expected/7 Among materials the office has supplied to sections are copies of the children's activities newspaper prepared for last year's NCW, pages of chemistry stickers, balloons, and NCW shirts. Another aid developed this year and sent to all sections on a trial basis is a 110-page book describing 14 of the best hands-on chemical demonstrations for NCW projects. Compiled by Montgomery College (Takoma Park, Md.) chemistry professor Susan F. Thornton, with help from the NCW office, the book is called "Beyond the Wow/7 and includes demonstrations that are safe, relevant to children, and don't require special reagents. Ernest Carpenter
EPA proposes chemical air emissions rules The Environmental Protection Agency has finally come through with a slew of proposed regulations to implement the 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act. The regulations were proposed at the rate of one a day last week, with longawaited rules governing air emissions from U.S. chemical plants unveiled just as C&EN went to press. The proposed rules were held up by disputes between EPA and the White House over their cost and anticompetitive effects. The 1990 amendments listed 189 6
NOVEMBER 2,1992 C&EN
chemicals whose emissions must be regulated over the next 10 years. Last Thursday's proposals dealt with emissions of almost 150 of these chemicals from some 370 synthetic organic chemical manufacturing facilities nationwide. Over 75% of the affected plants are in three states—Louisiana, New Jersey, and Texas. However, there is at least one affected facility in each of 38 states. EPA says implementing the proposed rules would reduce emissions from these sources by about 522,500 tons annually. The rules also would reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds—a prime ingredient in smog formation—more than 71%, or 1.1 million tons a year. The agency calculates capital costs to the chemical industry of meeting the proposals would be $347 million, with total annual costs of $82 million. However, the Chemical Manufacturers Association, while asking the Bush Administration to release the proposed rules early last month (C&EN, Oct. 12, page 20), estimated that costs would reach several billion dollars. The rules would require chemical facilities to reach emissions limits at least equal to those attainable by installing maximum achievable control technolo-
gy. For existing sources, that means setting the level of allowed emissions at the average emissions control achieved by the best performing 12% of existing sources. Emissions from new sources would be limited to the emissions control achieved in practice by the best controlled similar source. The proposals contain an innovative regulatory approach called "emissions averaging"—allowing a plant flexibility to use the most cost-effective control options. If a facility does not want to control a particular emissions point, its uncontrolled emissions can be offset by reducing emissions at one or more other points in the facility to below what is required. Also last week, EPA proposed rules on nitrogen oxides emissions from electric power plants and coke oven emissions, and issued a final rule requiring electric power plants to halve annual sulfur dioxide emissions—a 10 million ton yearly r e duction from 1980 levels by 2010. To ensure sulfur dioxide reduction, EPA will set a permanent national cap on utility emissions of just under 9 million tons annually, and allow trading of emissions allowances (C&EN, May 11, page 30). Janice Long
Frederick Webber named new CMA president The Chemical Manufacturers Association has selected a new president. Frederick L. Webber, former president and chief executive officer of the U.S. League of Savings Institutions, will succeed Robert A. Roland, who has served as CMA president for 13 years. Webber will join the association Jan. 1 and take over in June 1993, when Roland retires. Webber has had a long and varied career. Before joining the league, which has some 2500 members and a staff of 200, he was president and chief executive officer of the National Soft Drink Association. He has also worked for the Edison Electric Institute and Scott Paper Co., and served as the Treasury Department's assistant secretary for legislative affairs and as special assistant to the President for legislative affairs during the Nixon Administration. Webber will head an organization whose primary focus and leading priority is implementing its Responsible Care initiative—a program to improve the industry's record on health, safety, and environmental quality (C&EN, Oct. 5, page 13). CMA board chairman Frank Popoff,
Webber: long and varied career president and chief executive officer of Dow Chemical, noted at its fall annual meeting at which Webber was elected that "We have built the process and infrastructure for Responsible Care, and now if s time to deliver the results." Janice Long
