The American Chemistry Council recognized The Dow Chemical Co., Wacker Chemical Co. and Rohm and Haas Co. for outstanding performance under the council's Responsible Care environmental, health, safety and security initiative. The awards were presented at the ACC's annual membership meeting in White Sulphur Springs, WV.

The award recipients "have demonstrated exceptional leadership, commitment and performance," ACC president and CEO Tom Reilly said in announcing the awards. Since its launch 16 years ago, the Responsible Care initiative has helped the chemical industry to reduce environmental emissions by 70% and achieve a worker safety record that is four times better than the average of the U.S. manufacturing sector, the ACC says.

The ACC presented the Responsible Care Sustained Excellence Award to Dow in recognition of "sustained excellence and commitment in all aspects of the Responsible Care initiative." The new Responsible Care Leadership Award, recognizing companies that demonstrate "outstanding leadership in key aspects of Responsible Care," was presented to Rohm and Haas Co., Wacker Chemical Corp., the Milliken Chemical division of Milliken & Co. and Dow Chemical.