Environment

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Female environmental scientist wearing a hard hat, safety goggles, and a high-visibility vest examines a sample vial near a body of water, with a clipboard and pen in hand.
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Professional environmental management is essential for modern companies. For the methacrylate industry, responsible operations safeguard both business success and community trust

MPA member companies produce methacrylate chemicals and products in large volumes, which are integral to various sectors such as automotive, health care, lifestyle, communication, construction, and alternative energy. Consumers and industry alike benefit directly from these versatile materials. They foster innovation, and create jobs in our local communities..

Effective environmental protection therefore  secures companies long-term future.. A responsible approach to managing environmental impacts, including air, water and soil quality, is key to maintaining a sustainable business and being a good neighbor in the chemical industry.

As such, the MPA and its member companies support doing the right things for the environment, health, safety and security. For this reason, our member companies work to ensure compliance with local and federal environmental laws and guidelines, and conduct scientific investigations and analyses to define risks and appropriate controls of methacrylate chemical materials.

Methacrylic acid and the basic methacrylate esters (methyl methacrylate (MMA), ethyl methacrylate (EMA), n- and iso-butyl methacrylate (n-/i-BMA), and 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate (2-EHMA) serve as building blocks for the production of acrylic glass and durable, weather-resistant coatings, lacquers, and varnishes used e.g. in housing, furniture and the automotive industry.

In their final form these products are polymers, containing only trace amounts of the original monomers, resulting in minimal emissions of methacrylates into the environment. Any small amounts that may enter the environment during production and use are not persistent, do not accumulate, and degrade rapidly.

For more information see Environmental Effects of Methacrylates.