Data on 2,158 manufacturing plants in the chemicals and allied products industry show two important findings: first, that some manufacturers excel at minimizing toxic waste from industrial activity. Other manufacturers (who make the same products) literally need to “know how” these successes are achieved.

Second, the study also finds that — with respect to certain products, many manufacturers appear to have reached a “ceiling” in their ability to reduce toxic waste. For these classes of products, R&D is needed for technological breakthroughs to achieve further reductions.

The research — conducted at the U.S. Census Bureau’s Center for Economic Studies and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy — uses 1987 data from the Census Bureau’s Longitudinal Research Database, 1988 data from the Bureau’s Pollution Abatement Cost and Expenditures Survey, and data from the Environmental Protection Agency’s 1987 Toxics Release Inventory.

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Acquired Plants in Food Industry Show Improved Performance

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This brief explores U.S. food manufacturing industry, plants that were purchased (i.e., acquired) during the period 1977-87.

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December 1995

This brief examines fertility and socioeconomic characteristics of mothers in their childbearing years (aged 15 to 44) who participated in WIC.

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March 1995

This brief focuses on metropolitan Hispanic origin households and compares them with metropolitan households that were not of Hispanic origin.

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