### The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) serves as the voice for the polyurethane industry by identifying and managing issues that could impact the industry, in cooperation with user groups. 

# missionOur membership currently includes more than 85 of the nation’s leading producers and distributors of chemicals and equipment used to make polyurethane and manufacture polyurethane products. CPI provides a single, strong and credible voice to advocate on behalf of the interests of the U.S. polyurethanes industry. 

## Who We Are



# who we are

# issue management groups Issue Management Groups

CPI’s Steering Committee provides broad vision and leadership for CPI as an oversight group. Its membership is drawn from member companies that pay dues based on annual U.S. polyurethane sales. The CPI Steering Committee establishes CPI’s policies, dues assessment, structure, priorities, programs and budgets based on current industry issues.

CPI’s Management Committee identifies and tracks issues important to the polyurethane industry. It strategically coordinates and oversees the activities of CPI’s Issue Management Groups (described below) as they administer the programs established by the CPI Steering Committee.

CPI’s Issue Management Groups identify emerging issues and respond with practical and efficient programs that address these issues.

CPI’s market-focused Issue Management Groups promote the use of polyurethane by working closely with key downstream industry organizations
to better understand and communicate the features and benefits of polyurethane. CPI's market-focused Issue Management Groups are:

• CPI’s Flexible Foam Issue Management Group works to expand markets

for flexible polyurethane foam by addressing issues and educating audiences on the benefits of, and innovations related to, flexible polyurethane foam used in various applications. Topics include legislation and regulations, emanations, flame retardants, fire performance, building codes and technical standards, foam plant safety, scientific research, outreach and education, and historical and recent market trends.

• CPI’s Rigid Foam Issue Management Group represents chemical

manufacturers and suppliers of rigid polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams. CPI members work on projects with key customer organizations to address issues relating to legislation and regulations, building codes and technical standards, outreach and education, fire performance, energy efficiency, sustainability, environmental responsibilities, blowing agents, flame retardants, scientific research, and historical and recent market trends.

• CPI’s Thermoplastic Polyurethane Issue Management Group promotes the

benefits of thermoplastic polyurethane, and serves as an industry forum in which to address thermoplastic polyurethane industry issues and concerns. CPI members address legislative and regulatory issues, scientific research, outreach and education, and historical and recent market trends.“CPI membership provides Momentive Performance Materials, Silicones numerous benefits. For example, CPI provides a forum to learn best practices on common issues such as safety and the environment. CPI also is a champion for our industry by promoting our products and pooling common issues for resolution. Finally, by networking with other industry professionals we are afforded the opportunity to grow individually and as a company. In summary, we feel that our CPI membership is a
worthwhile investment.”
Tony Lanchak, Global Marketing Director, Urethane Additives
Momentive Performance Materials

CPI’s technical-focused Issue Management Groups help support the responsible production, management, and transportation of polyurethane chemicals, polyurethane and polyurethane products.

• CPI’s Product Stewardship Issue Management Group fosters and facilitates

industry-wide compliance with local, state, federal and international regulatory and legal requirements. The Group uses ideas and content developed by CPI’s environmental, health and safety programs to help support polyurethane raw material suppliers and converters as leaders in product stewardship. CPI member companies, through participation in ACC’s Responsible Care® program, are committed to continuing efforts to improve the industry’s responsible management of chemicals.

• CPI’s Polyurethane Recycle and Recovery Council identifies and promotes

innovative and commercially viable technologies to help reduce the amount of solid waste that results from polyurethane production and discarded polyurethane products commonly found in durable goods such as appliances, automobiles, bedding, carpet padding and upholstered furniture.

• CPI’s Polyurethane Raw Materials Analysis Committee assumes a

leadership role within the polyurethane industry in proposing, evaluating and updating methods for analyzing polyurethane raw materials. The
Committee also has stewarded standards into the International Standardization Organization (ISO) format and actively maintains
methods in both ASTM International and ISO.

“Evonik continues to be very committed to the CPI because it is essential to the long term prosperity of the polyurethanes industry. CPI provides a unique forum for all members of the industry to address the various issues which impact our business. Much of the progress made in areas such as product stewardship, health and safety, and regulatory could have only been accomplished less efficiently, or perhaps not at all, if not for the CPI and its dedicated members and staff. But beyond these primary goals of the CPI, there are other valuable benefits for your company as a member of CPI. The various activities of the CPI provide a tremendous networking anddevelopmental opportunity for your people. Contributing by sharing expertise and experience with one’s peers on issues which affect an entire industry provides a unique sense of personal growth and recognition.”

Steven Snead-Smith, Product Line Director – NAFTA, Polyurethane Additives
Evonik Goldschmidt Chemical CPI has core groups that support the work of CPI’s Issue Management Groups.

• CPI’s Communications Group uses the CPI website, newsletters, news

releases, literature, email campaigns, articles and other means of communication to inform member companies and the polyurethane industry of CPI activities. Communications professionals from CPI member companies work closely with CPI Issue Management Groups to help develop communication strategies and programs. The CPI Communications Group works to inform manufacturers of the latest technological developments, participate at trade shows, provide speakers for meetings and interviews, and keep media representatives abreast of polyurethane industry developments.

• CPI’s End Use Market Survey Task Group creates competitive value for

the polyurethanes industry by providing relevant, timely, extensive and accurate business statistics on the consumption of polyurethane materials in NAFTA end use markets with a focus on the recent trends affecting the polyurethane industry.

• CPI’s Conference Planning Committee and Conference Technical

Organizing Committee organizes CPI’s yearly technical conference for the polyurethanes industry. This global event brings together key industry players for 3 days to learn about the latest industry issues, scientific and technological advances, research and more. Additionally, as an industry service, and in conjunction with the yearly technical conference, the Committee develops a 4-day Polyurethane Professional Development Program, led by industry experts and volunteers, to teach about the basics and not-so-basics of polyurethane chemistry.

"Being a part of CPI has been a greatly rewarding experience. As we grow within the polyurethane industry we see CPI as the platform which helps us to connect with customers, suppliers and a variety of stakeholders. It enables us to share innovations, seek common ground and develop consensus around issues the industry will face in the future"
Yusuf Wazirzada, Business Unit Leader Cargill Biobased Polyurethanes. 

## Issue Management Groups

CPI Booth

# issue advocacy

“Bayer and its employees have been active in CPI since its inception. We see great value in working through the CPI to address industry issues, and to work together to educate and inform the public to grow their acceptance of the chemical industry. We also see the CPI as a great vehicle for networking with our industry peers to advance polyurethane science by safely developing and bringing on line new promising technologies, and to raise the corporate social responsibility standard by collectively developing practical and efficient sustainable operations. We see the CPI as a critical value-adding partner in such efforts.”
Jerry MacCleary, Senior Vice President NAFTA Polyurethanes Marketing, Bayer MaterialScience LLC

Combustibility CPI helps shape and influence the future of the polyurethanes industry by taking a lead role in addressing issues associated with the combustibility and combustion toxicity of polyurethane materials. CPI is actively engaged with key customer organizations, regulators, and non-governmental organizations to address issues relevant to the combustibility of polyurethanes. Government regulations, building codes and technical standards, research, education and outreach are all crucial in helping to shape both the flexible and rigid polyurethane foam markets. CPI provides technical assistance, monitors and advocates on issues regarding the use of polyurethane in building and construction and furnishings, combustion toxicity, blowing agents, flame retardants, labeling, and more. CPI also actively sponsors national and local educational programs, professional development courses, and updates technical bulletins and its website regarding the proper use and handing of polyurethane foam around ignition 

## Issue Advocacysources. CPI conducts research on upholstered furniture and mattress flammability, which plays a critical role in regulatory changes proposed at the federal and state level. With the goal of improving the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s proposed furniture flammability standard, CPI comments in support of the development of a performance-based standard that is robust and does not indiscriminately or arbitrarily exclude technologies that can help products satisfy the standard, such as the use of flame retardants, barrier materials, fabrics or other effective approaches. For nearly a decade, CPI has worked toward the development of possible test standards, which could reduce fire deaths and injuries and limit property damage, by working with industry groups and coalitions, conducting technical development work, promoting the use of fire and smoke detectors and fire suppressant systems, and contributing substantially to fire safety education.

Environment, Health and Safety CPI plays a lead role in advocating science-based polyurethane chemical legislation and defends against scientifically unfounded product attacks at the international, federal, state and local level for the responsible productionand management of polyurethane chemicals. CPI’s hallmark product stewardship program helps members better manage their product development,manufacture and distribution, marketing, use, and ultimate disposal of products in a safe, healthy and environmentally sound way. CPI addresses health and safety concerns relating to the broad spectrum of polyurethane product development including polyurethane raw materials, polyurethane production processes and chemicals, and final polyurethane products in a variety of ways including the distribution of literature (in multiple languages) for users of polyurethane products, videos, website, regulatory compliance assistance software, respiratory protection programs, industrial hygiene and worker safety courses. CPI also works with ACC’s Diisocyanates Panel, State OSHA Programs, National Fire Protection Association and other industry groups toexpand the avenues of information. The majority of CPI’s information is available free and also is distributed by the producers of MDI, TDI and Polyols.

“CPI is the town square of the global polyurethanes industry. At Dow, we consider CPI an invaluable resource for networking, sharing opinions, monitoring technological progress and collectively shaping the issues, challenges and opportunities shared by the polyurethanes community."
Doug Warner, Business Director of Polyols The Dow Chemical Company

Recycling and Recovery CPI pursues innovative methods for reducing the amount of solid waste produced by the polyurethanes industry and generated from discarded polyurethane products commonly found in durable goods such as appliances, automobiles, bedding, carpet padding, and upholstered furniture. Because local, state and federal regulations play an important role in the recycling of any material, CPI supports research and works with other industry groups on new methods of recycling and waste disposal. Traditionally, the polyurethanes industry has engineered and implemented manufacturing technologies to minimize the production of process scrap. While the industry continues its efforts in source reduction, CPI has focused its efforts on the recycling and waste-to-energy combustion steps within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hierarchy for integrated waste management.

Building Codes and Standards CPI takes an active role in monitoring and influencing building code proposals and technical standards that may affect the business for downstream users of polyurethane. CPI is dedicated to supporting the highest quality of building codes and technical standards worldwide and presents science-based results which support our overall goals of providing safe, functional and energy-efficient products to the public. CPI members interact with various building code groups including ASTM International, ICC, ISO, NFPA, FM, UL and more. Building codes and technical standards for building and construction make enormous contributions to most aspects of our lives - from product quality, compatibility and reliability to efficiency and safety. They also have important economic and social repercussions. CPI actively works with and supports downstream user groups to develop research studies in order to generate data necessary to support industry code positions.

Energy and Climate Change ACC’s advocacy on energy and climate policy is grounded in the principle that sound energy policy – including measures to expand access to domestic natural gas supplies (natural gas being the industry’s most important raw material) – is a prerequisite to any serious consideration of climate policy. Through a combination of direct lobbying, grassroots efforts, coalition partnership and both paid and earned media, ACC is influencing the debate in Congress. In late 2006, ACC’s advocacy resulted in enactment of the first legislation in 25 years to change U.S. law to expand access to domestic energy resources – and we continue to educate on the need for more supply, as well as conservation and diversification. Working with ACC Federal and State Relation’s, CPI advocates for broader energy efficiency measures such as a 30% reduction goal over a state’s existing energy code, supporting federal tax incentives, and developing industry communications tools for the building and construction community. For example, CPI was instrumental in helping to turn the 19 year minimum required prescriptive R-value issued by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) for roof and wall insulation. ASHRAE announced an increase to the minimum required prescriptive R-value for roof and wall insulation levels in its Standard 90.1, "Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings." As a result, the above-deck roof insulation requirements rose by 33% in every climate zone in the United States and similar increases were approved for walls. State energy conservation building codes are a major driver in increasing the demand for such products as insulating materials. These codes set minimum standards for energy efficiency in residential and commercial construction and also help establish a “level playing field” to market building products statewide, regionally, and nationally. CPI also takes a leadership role in 

## Issue Advocacycoordinating industry participation in advocacy to achieve reasonable international and U.S. government policies regarding ozone protection, climate change, and concepts for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from high-global warming potential stationary sources. CPI and its members work with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, federal and state agencies, and other state agencies and industry groups to address these issues. Through CPI resources, members continue to stay abreast on the most current and pressing issues that may impact the polyurethane industry.

"Stepan is extremely proud of our involvement and participation in CPI. The organization gives member companies and various stakeholders the opportunity to tackle issues that are important to all of us; the environment, world trade, safety, etc. Without the CPI, the polyurethane industry would lack a collective voice, a voice that has generated countless benefits to the safe, effective use of plastics not just in the United States but worldwide." Robert Wood, Vice President, General Manager Stepan Polymers

Chemical Regulation Allegations about the health and environmental effects of exposures to chemicals, even at very low doses, are driving policy and market-based campaigns against chemicals and products. ACC efforts are paving the way for a better understanding of health data as we also provide expertise on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) – the fundamental regulatory program for chemicals in the U.S., which is expected to come under increasing scrutiny. ACC’s programs such as the Global Product Strategy, Long-Range Research Initiative and evaluation programs for High Production Volume (HPV) chemicals help to safeguard and provide information about our products, as well as support our advocacy. Through the ACC, CPI and its members play a lead role in advocating science-based chemical legislation and defending against scientifically unfounded product attacks for polyurethane products and their raw materials.

Transportation Everyday life depends on the safe and reliable transportation of the chemicals and products produced by our members. The business of polyurethane chemistry relies on the nation’s transportation infrastructure to deliver approximately 6.3 billion pounds of polyurethane products each year. That is why CPI is committed to working with its members and their customers in developing transportation guidelines, guidance documents, videos, and educational materials. Through ACC Federal Relations, CPI advocates on labeling requirements, safety benefits, implementation costs and environmental impacts. For example, in March 2007, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) published a petition for rulemaking by the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM). In this petition, NASFM requested that polyurethane foam and certain finished products containing it be classified as a Class 9 hazardous material for purposes of transportation. CPI submitted comments to DOT, recommending that the petition be denied. CPI stated several reasons why it does not support the petition, including NASFM’s claim that polyurethane foam materials pose unreasonable risk to health and safety or property. As polyurethane foam is an important contributor to the U.S. economy, such a rulemaking could have serious repercussions for consumers and small businesses. 

## Issue AdvocacyAmeriChem PAC The ACC Political Action Committee (PAC) – AmeriChem PAC – is a nonpartisan, federally registered PAC which provides the financial resources to help elect and re-elect officials who understand the importance of the chemical industry. AmeriChem PAC provides ACC and CPI member companies and their employees the opportunity to participate in the political process by contributing to candidates for the U.S. House and Senate. By coordinating events with member company PACs, we are able to greatly leverage the industry’s voice. A unified voice significantly benefits CPI member companies and the polyurethane industry – and in the most recent year, AmeriChem PAC was successful in increasing its revenue by 38 percent.

"Legislation is one of the most powerful external forces affecting the chemical industry today. It has the ability to protect our right to operate, reduce costs and liabilities, promote innovation and growth and improve our standing with investors and the communities where we operate," says Pat Dawson, president of Dow Polyurethanes, a business of The Dow Chemical Company. "Through the AmeriChem PAC, we can help to elect people whose views support those of us who are manufacturing products that are essential to our lives and the U.S. economy." 

# political tools Political ToolsGrassroots Engaging the nearly 220,000 jobs supported by the polyurethane industry is critical to our advocacy success. Direct communication from employees to their elected representatives can move the debate on key industry issues. ACC provides the tools for CPI by identifying, educating, motivating and mobilizing employees via ACC’s Impact Chemistry website which features state-of-the-art web-based grassroots technology. These tools have proven their effectiveness in ACC and CPI advocacy, where elected officials have received thousands of letters from industry employees and others engaged with our issues. Our messages are further driven home by coordination of open houses, plant tours and regional meetings with member companies and their local, state and federal legislators.

“We at Arch Chemicals find the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry to be an invaluable resource for our performance urethanes business. We often rely on CPI to help represent our industry’s interests on Capitol Hill and in the states. It also provides us with excellent guidance and insights into trade issues, how we can tackle complex new regulations, Responsible Care® initiatives and technology advancements. The CPI offers opportunities to keep current with all the issues facing our industry and outstanding networking connections. In short, the CPI helps make
business easier!”
Rick Walden, Vice President and General Manager Industrial Biocides and Performance Products, Arch Chemicals, Inc. Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) ACC’s Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) program helps companies ensure that their employees exercise their right to vote and strengthen their voice at the polling place. ACC provides easy to use, web-based resources to ensure your employees are registered, educated, and participating voters. The GOTV program makes available information about candidate views on issues of importance to the chemistry industry and provides direct support for members wishing to facilitate political engagement with their employees. 

## Political ToolsRegulatory Compliance Assistance Program To aid in the reporting of Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) forms, CPI offers a Reporting Compliance Assistance Program to assist companies submitting their annual TRI form for 4,4'-methylene diphenyl diisocyanates (MDI) and polymeric MDI (PMDI). Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) requires facilities that manufacture, process or otherwise use MDI and PMDI and exceed the thresholds limits required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to submit a Form A or Form R by July 1st of each year to EPA and the designated state agency. Reported information is placed in EPA’s TRI database, where it is made publicly available via the Internet and through the annual publication of the TRI. This program includes an MDI/PMDI emissions estimator software and guidebook and offers one-on-one assistance to those who submit their company's annual TRI forms for MDI or PMDI.

Responsible Care® CPI members who are also ACC members participate in the U.S. Responsible

Care® initiative, an industry-wide system that helps to protect the environment, foster the health and safety of industry employees and site communities, improve the stewardship of chemical products, and enhance the security of facilities and the value chain. Responsible Care ® delivers business value for ACC and CPI members through credible third party audits, recognition by government agencies, efficiencies with supply chain business partners who abide by Responsible Care® ethics, and global consistency as the initiative is implemented worldwide. Furthermore, recognizing common interests in health and safety, alliances have been formed with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), EPA and other agencies and organizations, to provide members streamlined access into certain highly regarded recognition and performance programs.

"As an original signatory to the Responsible Care ® Guiding Principles, Huntsman gives the highest priority to the operation of safe, clean, efficient facilities in an environmentally and socially responsible manner - priorities
which are also central to the ethos of the CPI."
Gregory N. Geaman, VP of Americas Huntsman Polyurethanes 

# signature programs Signature Programsessential 2 ® In order to address an information gap about American chemistry and its products, ACC launched the essential 2 public education campaign which defines the benefits of chemistry as essential to our way of life, engages the public, and creates a more favorable environment for business and advocacy. The campaign includes targeted television, web and print advertising driving audiences to our americanchemistry.com website. The site receives close to two million hits per month and focuses on the benefits of chemistry, and ACC’s programs and policy matters. ACC and CPI also regularly provide
members with essential 2 messages and materials for use in their facilities
and communities. Recent research indicates that essential 2 is having a positive impact on the attitudes and behaviors of all of its target audiences, and most significantly has impacted employees of ACC and CPI members. 

## Signature Programs

CHEMTREC® ACC’s Chemical Transportation Emergency Center (CHEMTREC) continues to set the global standard for emergency communication centers, providing world-class round the clock resources to assist ACC and qualifying CPI members, the chemical value chain, emergency responders and the public in mitigating incidents involving chemicals. The call center receives nearly 100,000 calls annually and continues to expand its capabilities internationally to respond to growing requests to provide incident mitigation for non-North American shipments. ACC members receive CHEMTREC’s “basic” emergency communications service free of charge.

Research Health risk assessment is fundamental to decisions regarding chemical regulation, and improving the quality of such assessments can have a significant impact. ACC’s Long-Range Research Initiative (LRI) allows companies to cost-effectively pool their resources to sponsor research to improve the methods to study chemicals and assess human health risk in potentially susceptible populations. The program focuses on issues of great importance to the chemistry industry, such as biomonitoring, children’s health, endocrine system effects and health risk assessment. The LRI frequently partners with government agencies, academia, and international and non-governmental organizations to address these relevant issues.

Water Bottle Label• CPI provides a forum to communicate new and relevant technical developments and industry issues at its annual Polyurethanes Technical
Conference.

• CPI provides relevant and timely business statistics on the consumption of

polyurethane materials in North America.

* CPI helps stakeholders understand the contribution the polyurethane

industry and its products make to society through ad placements, articles,
and websites.

• CPI updates and develops training programs, technical bulletins, industry

alerts, websites and videos on worker health and safety, materials handling, and disposal and translates them into multiple languages to support global product stewardship efforts.

• CPI launches a full-scale regulatory compliance assistance program for

companies submitting toxic release inventory forms for MDI emissions.

• CPI advocates for the responsible production, management and

transportation of polyurethane chemicals.

• CPI promotes product stewardship handling practices for the use of

polyurethane products and their raw materials.

• CPI identifies and initiates research projects in the flexible, rigid and

thermoplastic polyurethane markets to support positive science-based positions for outreach, industry messaging and policy initiatives.

• CPI educates building and fire code officials, designers, product

manufacturers, users of polyurethane products and others on the benefits, safe use and handling of polyurethanes.

• CPI provides a leadership role within the polyurethanes industry in

facilitating the proposal, evaluation and updating of methods for analyzing polyurethane raw materials with ASTM International and ISO standards-setting bodies to harmonize methods for polyurethane raw material analysis. 

# business value Business ValueMeetings and Networking A variety of highly valued meetings and workshops are organized each year for CPI members. These are opportunities for members to interact with each other, business partners, industry experts, government officials and academia. CPI’s annual Polyurethanes Technical Conference provides polyurethane leaders and professionals an opportunity to hear about the latest research, technical developments and business issues affecting the global polyurethanes industry.

“BASF is proud to be a member of CPI. Our people actively participate in CPI committees, conferences, and advocacy efforts because they are of great value to our company and the polyurethanes industry as a whole. We also appreciate the opportunities CPI affords to appropriately network with other polyurethanes professionals and share best practices on matters that are important to us all, such as safety. BASF supports CPI and CPI supports us, too.”

Ken Lane, Director – Urethanes Chemicals, North America BASF Corporation

Publications CPI produces a variety of publications available to members at discounted rates. Issue papers, technical bulletins, position statements, newsletter articles and conference proceedings are available for all segments of the polyurethanes industry. The Socio-Economic Impact of Polyurethanes in the United States and the bi-annual End Use Market Survey on the Polyurethanes Industry in the United States, Canada and Mexico are two publications produced by CPI which many members find invaluable. There also are a number of additional publications available to CPI members through the ACC including a bimonthly magazine, American Chemistry , which highlights the benefits of chemistry and serves as a venue to feature member company employees, products and programs as well as Modern Materials

, a magazine which highlights the use of plastics in building and construction.
Newsletters – such as CPINews and ACC’s daily SmartBrief – are provided to keep members up-to-date on media coverage of the industry and its issues, ACC and CPI initiatives and advocacy progress, and legislative and product updates. All of our resources are available online via a comprehensive members-only website.

"KraussMaffei considers CPI a key element in the continued proliferation of our industry. We have supported CPI’s programs for many years and believe that CPI provides valuable opportunities for learning more about our industry, as well as invaluable opportunities to make key contacts."

John-Paul Mead, Vice President KraussMaffei 

## Business Value