Re: Analysis of Dioxins in US Food Supply

www.dioxinfacts.org

This website is the work of American Chemistry Council.

www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Chemistry_Council

The American Chemistry Council is a top trade association representing
North American chemical manufacturers. ACC represents represents
nearly 150 companies and has a $100 million budget. The group spent
more than $2 million on lobbying in 2003

History
ACC merged with the American Plastics Council in 2002. Formerly know
as the Manufacturing Chemists' Association, then later renamed as the
Chemical Manufacturers Association, ACC adopted its current name at
its June 2000 membership meeting.

Battling precautionary principle
In November 2003, the Environmental Working Group (good guys) released
a leaked memo drafted by Tim Shestek, a lobbyist with the ACC. The
memo outlined the key features of a campaign proposal from Nichols-
Dezenhall to counter growing support for the precautionary principle
in California, which it argued could create a national trend.

Fighting over gas
According to a June 1, 2004 article in The Hill, the organization has
been facing an internal struggle between the interests of its members,
particularily over the increased price of natural gas.

ACC member companies that primarily manufacture plastics or chemicals
use natural gas for heating and electricy and were upset with ACC weak
lobbying position on natural gas prices. But ACC also has integrated
oil and gas companies as members who benefit from high natural gas
prices.

Kids on pesticides
In October 2004, ACC gave the Environmental Protection Agency $2
million to help fund a study exploring the impact of pesticides and
household chemicals on young children.

Messaging and PR
Greg Lebedev left his position as president and CEO of ACC on June 1,
2004. The Hill reports, "[L]obbyists who spoke on condition of
anonymity said the group's governing board effectively pushed Lebedev
out, in part because members thought he had not moved swiftly enough
to cut costs or develop a coherent association message."

In 2003, Lebedev had proposed a PR campaign for ACC to boost the
industry's image. Initially pushing for a $60 million campaign, the
effort is reported to have been scaled back to $20 million after
complaints about the project's value.

In the fall of 2005, the ACC launched "an integrated public education
campaign to raise the chemical industry's image and reputation,"
called "essential2." ACC hired Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, APCO
Worldwide and Ogilvy & Mather for the campaign, which is expected to
cost $35 million over two years.

Part of the "essential2" campaign is a new website,
americanchemistry.com. In a press release, Ogilvy & Mather's David
Fowler said essential2 would be a "360(degree) communication effort,"
including "press, television, public relations, online and employee
communications."

In the same release, ACC President and CEO Jack N. Gerard was quoted
as saying, "'essential2' makes a powerful statement about how
connected we all are and how central chemistry is to the health and
growth of our nation. For example, the chemistry industry is America's
leading exporter, accounting for 10 percent of all U.S. exports, and
we generate more than half a trillion dollars for the U.S. economy
each year."

While promoting the chemical industry as vital to the economic health
of the nation the ACC simultaneously lobbied against the Toxics
Release Inventory (TRI), a public right-to-know program. Under TRI,
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency annually reports on what
industries release into the air, water and land. The ACC "has urged
less frequent reporting since 1999." ACC's Michael Walls said, "Just
because we're used to doing something doesn't mean we should accept
the inherent high costs or burden of doing it." The Bush
administration supports changing the TRI so that fewer releases are
reported, less frequently. EPA officials say they will "likely spend
another year weighing the pros and cons" of the proposed changes,
after the public comment period ends on December 5. According to
federal records, the EPA "previously solicited comments from industry
groups."....
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