CHLORINE GAS

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
• Don’t 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

Compressed Chlorine Gas Incidents

• Only 35 to 40% of “chlorine accidents” involve compressed gas

Compressed Chlorine Gas Incidents

Source of Leak

Type Of Vessel Involved

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