CHLORINE GAS

Per gallon of water treated,

possibly the safest form of
residual disinfection

Emotion And Misinformation Driving

Shift To Alternative Disinfectants

Ignoring historical facts

Misguided regulations
Inaccurate government databases
BHOPAL SYNDROME & worst case scenarios
Misuse and generic use of the word Chlorine
Safety and health risks associated with the
alternatives

A Long History Of Making

The Technology Safe

Vacuum Feed Technology

Chlorine Institute
An innovative industry developed many
safety devices

Well Intended But Misguided

Regulations Are Causing Fear
RMP
FIFRA

Government Databases On Chlorine

Incidents Are Meaningless

Release quantities only

Dont differentiate between industries
No injury or death data
Suspect database info is largely Hypo
accidents

We Are Beginning To Collect

Historical Facts Specific To Our Industry

Newspaper clippings
CI and other trade associations
Membership and end users

Misuse Of The Word Chlorine

400 Chlorine accidents in newspaper

Media and layperson use Chlorine to describe hypo

accidents

65% of Chlorine accidents are hypo

50% of hypo accidents use Chlorine in headline

Damages reputation of Chlorine gas disinfection

Safety issues with alternative

disinfectants

Calcium Hypochlorite: Gas releases, fires,

explosions
Sodium Hypochlorite: gas releases when
combined with other chemical
Onsite generation: Detonation of hydrogen

MEDIA REPORTED
CHLORINE INCIDENTS

30%

35%

Calcium Hypo
Sodium Hypo

35%

Compressed
Cl2 Gas

Compressed Chlorine Gas

Incidents

Only 35 to 40% of chlorine accidents

involve compressed gas

Compressed Chlorine Gas Incidents

Water

20%
50%

Industrial

30%
Swimming
Pools

Source of Leak
Lead
Gasket

10%
15%

75%

Valve
Packing
Other

Type Of Vessel Involved

150 lb. Cylinders

Ton Containers
Railcars

Chlorine Incident Statistics

Majority of events occurred when the tanks were being

changed out.

Majority of the quantities released were less than 25

lbs.

There were 3 releases over 300 lbs

2 water treatment plant operator fatalities since 1979

(both asthmatic)

Zero offsite fatalities going back to 1959

More Concerns With Alternatives

Chlorate and Bromate formation are

greater concern when using hypo
CA may require NSF grade salt for onsite
generators
EPA is now beginning to look into the
regulation of reactives

Chlorine gas is possibly the safest

form of disinfection available

Eliminate emotion
Clarify misinformation
Analyze historical data and statistics