About Chlorine

Over 200 years ago, a young Swedish researcher, Carl Wilhelm Scheele, discovered chlorine.  Because of its reactivity and bonding characteristics, chlorine has become an essential chemical building block, leading to a myriad of materials that are used to make the products we use every day for public health, safety, nutrition, security, transportation, lifestyle and high-tech innovation.  Drinking water, agricultural abundance, disinfected wastewater, essential industrial chemicals, bleaches and fuels, all depend on chlorine.  Pharmaceuticals, plastics, dyes, cosmetics, coatings, electronics, adhesives, clothing and automobile parts are examples of product groups that depend on chlorine chemistry.

A list of chlorine applications includes:

Automotive
Foam Seating
Paints
Plastic Bumpers Molding
Instruments
Floor Mats
Fabric
Seat Belts
Tire Cords
Dashboards
Hoses

Construction
Carpeting
Upholstery
Wire Insulation
Pipes
Siding
Flooring
Paints
Coatings

Defense
Bullet-Proof Vests
Helmets
Parachutes
Water Repellant Fibers
Shatter-Resistant Glass
Titanium Aircraft
Jet Engines
Missiles

Electronics
Semiconductors
Computer Disks
Wire Insulation

Food Production & Handling
Herbicides
Vitamins B1 & B6
Cleaners
Disinfectants
Thermal Insulation
Sterile Packaging

Health Care
Electronic Instruments
Sterile Packaging
Surgical Equipment
Cleaning Compounds
Prescription Eye Wear
Laboratory Reagents

Medicines
Antibiotics
Cancer Treatment
Pain Relievers
Local Anesthetics
Antihistamines
Decongestants

Metal Production
Magnesium
Nickel
Bismuth
Titanium
Zirconium
Zinc

Outdoor Recreation
Neoprene Wet Suits
Inflatable Rafts
Golf Grip
Surf Boards
Nylon Ropes
Tents
Sleeping Bags
Coats
Backpacks
Waterproof Clothing

Water Treatment
Safe Drinking Water
Wastewater Treatment
 

BENEFITS OF CHLORINE

The use of chlorine to disinfect water for drinking and swimming and its use in bleaching are both fairly well known. However, it is not universally recognized that chlorine is an essential chemical building block, leading to a myriad of materials that are used to make the products we use every day for health, safety, nutrition, security, transportation, lifestyle and high-tech innovation. For example, chlorine chemistry is important to the production of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, safety equipment, computers, automobiles, aircraft parts and crop protection chemicals. The list is virtually endless. In fact, chlorine products of all kinds, and their derivatives, contribute more than $46 billion to the U.S. economy each year, through sales of chlorine and other building block chemicals that are used to make thousands of essential products.  That's why chlorine is an essential asset deemed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as critical infrastructure.

More information about the economic, health and safety benefits associated with this remarkable and versatile chemical can be found on the Chlorine Tree Web site, which is produced by the Chlorine Chemistry Division of the American Chemistry Council.  Using videos, special effects, animation, sound and text, the interactive Chlorine Tree Web site provides a wealth of information about chlorine chemistry and its vital role in our everyday lives.

The Chlorine Chemistry Division and its members support and co-sponsor educational programs and research projects. The Council devotes significant resources to scientific issues and managing risks so society can continue to derive maximum benefit from chlorine chemistry.