Environmental protection encompasses a broad range of activities, from regulating emissions to preserving biodiversity and promoting renewable energy. Chemicals play a critical role in many aspects of environmental preservation and conservation. Nevertheless, they must be used in a responsible and controlled manner to achieve sustainable environmental goals.
Unlike most goods and services, actions to supply environmental protection do not generate revenues that can be sold or traded in markets. This characteristic makes supplying them difficult, especially in times of financial stress when it is easy to undermine or weaken environmental laws and programs. During the 1980s, League members helped thwart attacks on the Clean Air Act and succeeded in a major overhaul of the law that brought about major reductions in acid rain, smog, and air pollutants. League members have also worked to ensure full program funding for the Environmental Protection Agency and defended against across-the-board regulatory reform proposals that would have weakened environmental safeguards.
Environmental protection relies on scientific research and monitoring to inform policy decisions, set priorities, and detect problems. Chemicals are essential to this work, for example, by providing the tools needed for analyzing water quality and determining ecological health. Moreover, chemicals are widely employed in wastewater treatment plants to ensure that the water we return to the environment is safe for all uses. This conservation of water resources is critical to a sustainable economy, enabling healthy ecosystems and ensuring an adequate water supply for human consumption.