Chemical Sector: Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources

Sector Overview

The Chemical Sector is an integral component of the U.S. economy, employing nearly 1 million people, and earning revenues of more than $460 billion per year. The Chemical Sector can be divided into four main segments, based on the end product produced:

1. basic chemicals;
2. specialty chemicals;
3. life sciences; and
4. consumer products.

There are well over 100,000 "chemical facilities" in the United States, encompassing everything from production facilities to hardware stores. The great majority of Chemical Sector facilities are privately owned, requiring the Department to work closely with the private sector and its industry associations in order to identify assets, assess risks, prioritize assets, develop and implement protective programs, and measure program effectiveness.

The Chemical Sector has identified critical interdependencies with other sectors, including, but not limited to:

• Transportation Systems, for the movement of raw materials and finished products;
• Energy, for power and feedstock materials, as well as being a customer of certain chemicals;
• Water, for chemical process operations and as a customer for critical chemicals;
• Agriculture and Food, as a customer for fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals; and
• Information Technology and Communications for critical services.

All of these sectors are working together to ensure that their efforts support each other.