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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
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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
Compressed Chlorine Gas Incidents • Only 35 to 40% of “chlorine accidents” involve compressed gas
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