Chlorine Bleach and the Environment
The
Effects of Chlorine Bleach on the Environment
by EMILY BEACH
Overview
Manufacturers
rely on chlorine bleach to whiten paper pulp and other materials during the
production process.
Chlorine bleach also plays an important role
in wastewater treatment, and is used in many household cleaning products.
Unfortunately, chlorine also poses a
significant risk to the environment, and was even used as a chemical weapon
during World War I.
Many countries have banned chlorine bleach or
restricted its use in an effort to protect the environment and human health.
Water Pollution
Manufacturers
who use chlorine bleach often release it into local water bodies along with
other liquid industrial waste.
Once it reaches the water, chlorine reacts
with other minerals and elements to form a host of dangerous toxins.
These toxins, including dioxins, furams and
PCDDs are often referred to as "persistent
organic pollutants" because they linger in the water or soil and take
many years to disappear.
Greenpeace calls dioxin one of the most
dangerous chemicals known to science, and warns that it can contribute to
cancer, endocrine disorders and other serious health effects.
The West Virginia University Extension also
links chlorine-based compounds, like dioxins, with low sperm count, testicular
cancer and breast cancer due to their ability to mimic human hormones.
Impact on Wildlife Populations
According to the West Virginia
University Extension, by-products from chlorine bleach pose a significant risk
to local wildlife populations, and have been linked to cancer in laboratory
animals.
Dioxins were responsible for the decimation of the bald
eagle population during the mid-20th century, and continue to reduce the number
of fish and bird species near the Great Lakes.
The World Wildlife Fund also warns that these chlorine
by-products can cause mutations, sterility and even extinction in wildlife species.
One of the most significant problems with chlorine bleach
is its persistence. Even low levels released into air and water supplies will
accumulate over time, and may lead to long-term health concerns.
West Virginia State University Extension points to the
dangers of bio-magnification.
First, microorganisms consume chlorine by-products in
soil or water.
These organisms serve as food for larger species, and as
you continue up the food chain, each species is subject to an increasingly
higher accumulation of toxins.
Air Pollution
Factories that rely on chlorine bleach
also emit toxins into the air during the ventilation and exhaust processes.
Some chlorine and related by-products remain in the air,
where they contribute to air pollution.
According to the Reach for Unbleached Foundation, these
toxins can cause severe long- and short-term respiratory irritation upon
inhalation.
They may also contribute to problems with the immune
system, blood and heart.
Airborne chlorine bleach by-products eventually reach
Earth's atmosphere and the ozone layer.
According to Audubon Magazine, chlorine bleach is linked
to ozone depletion, which has far-reaching environmental effects in terms of
global warming.
.http://www.livestrong.com/article/217675-the-effects-of-chlorine-bleach-on-the-environment/
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