The American chemical industry is responsible for the products that people expect in their modern lives. While working to protect the environment, public health and the security of the nation, chemical companies work vigorously to develop safer, more convenient and healthy products – from medicines, fabrics, plastics and clean drinking water to cell phones, computers, automobiles and aircraft.

As one of America’s largest industries, a $635 billion enterprise, the chemical industry produces more than 22 percent of the world’s chemicals, more than any other country in the world, and accounts for nearly 11 percent of all U.S. patents. The chemical industry is one of America’s top exporters, with $135 billion in annual exports accounting for more than 10 cents of every dollar in total U.S. merchandise exports. The drug innovations based in chemistry have helped increase the life expectancy in the U.S. by 30 years over the past century.