Clearing 
die Nation’s Air 
What the chemical industry is doing to help 
clean up the air you breathe 
Today, almost all of our industry’s 
plants meet or exceed Environmen- 
tal Protection Agency clean air 
requirements. But we’re not stop- 
ping there. Here are some of the 
ways we’re helping America 
breathe easier: 
1. Committing 
billions to clean up 
The chemical industry is investing 
more than any other U.S. manufac- 
turing industry in fighting pollution, 
according to the U . S . Census Bureau . 
Since 1976, we’ve doubled our invest- 
ment in air pollution control equip- 
ment. By the end of 1979, this 
commitment exceeded $2.6 billion. 
We are also investing millions of dol- 
lars in environmental research. The 
expenditures for one research pro- 
gram alone are expected to exceed $9 
million by the end of 1980. 
2. Upgrading 
plants and processes 
New plant construction includes so- 
phisticated equipment and technol- 
Molecular Sieve Process 
To Fight Air Pollution 
Recycled 
clean sieves 
Contaminated 
gas 
Heaters 
Recycle blower 
forces heat transfer 
agent through .Tv 
sieves to strip away 
contaminant. 
The chemical industry uses equip- 
ment ranging from simple wet 
scrubbers to highly sophisticated 
molecular sieves to remove solids, 
vapors and odors. 
Clean, treated gas 
Moving trays of sieves 
Contaminated gas 
flows through sieves 
which absorb contami- 
nants and move down 
to recovery system. 
Contaminated sieves 
Heat transfer agent 
Separator removes 
contaminants 
for recycling. 
Pressurized air recycles 
purified sieves. 
ogy. Older, existing plants are being 
refitted with additional equipment to 
improve emission control and meet 
environmental requirements. We’re 
also finding ways to recycle emissions 
to create useful raw materials. 
3. Trapping particulates more 
effectively 
A scrubber at one company helps trap 
more than 1,300 tons of particulate 
sulfur each year. Electrostatic precipi- 
tators help reduce fly ash emissions by 
nearly lOO percent. “Baghouses,” 
which operate like household vacuum 
cleaners, also help keep dusts and 
solid particles from contaminating 
the air. 
4. Capturing vapors with new 
technology 
Research is helping us find new and 
better ways to control gaseous wastes. 
For example: a highly specialized mo- 
lecular sieve recovers waste sulfur di- 
oxide from the vent gas of sulfuric acid 
plants for recycling into the acid- 
making process. Special incinerators 
help control odorous gases. We’ve 
created compounds which can trap 
specific kinds of pollutant molecules. 
5. Getting more employees 
involved 
We have more than 10,000 employees 
whose sole job is to operate, maintain 
and monitor pollution control equip- 
ment. And we add to this number 
each year. At one facility, employee 
programs encouraged ideas which 
helped eliminate 75,000 tons of air 
pollutants each year. 
For a booklet that tells more about what 
we're doing to protect the environment, 
write: Chemical Manufacturers Associa- 
tion, Dept. GL-103, P.O. Box 363, 
B eltsville, Md. 20705 
America’s Chemical Industry 
The member companies of the Chemical Manufacturers Association 
