North American chlor-alkali industry:
sustainability progress continues
The North American chlor-alkali industry is committed to the goal of sustainable development. Member companies of Canadian Chlorine Chemistry Council (C4), the Chlorine Chemistry Division of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the Chlorine Institute strive to continuously improve performance in the “triple bottom line” of environment, society and economy.
Providing essential products and economic benefits
Chlorine chemistry provides many essential products, including drinking water disinfectants and PVC pipe, 93% of all pharmaceuticals, 25% of all medical plastics, and 86% of crop protection chemicals. Our chemistry also improves quality of life by making possible clothing, electronics, paper, plastics, soaps, building materials and countless other valued products. In 2005, chlorine production totaled 13.57 million metric tonnes in the U.S. and 1.15 million tonnes in Canada. The chlor-alkali industry directly employs some 6,000 people and contributes over $2 billion to the North American economy.
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Minimizing industry’s environmental footprint
Through advances in technology and operating practices, the chlor-alkali industry is reducing its environmental footprint:
- The U.S. industry reduced its total emissions of chlorinated chemicals to the environment (air and water) by more than 80% from 1988 to 20041.
- The industry has reduced its dioxin releases by 55% in the first five years that these chemicals have been reported under EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory program (2000-2004)1. According to EPA, the chlor-alkali industry is a small source of dioxin, representing less than 1% of total quantified emissions in the U.S.
- The industry reduced its use of mercury 94% from 1996 to 2005 and reduced releases of mercury to air and water by 49% since 1988. Today, only 9% of chlorine production capacity in the U.S. uses mercury cell technology and announced plans
- for either closings or conversions should further reduce the chlorine produced by the mercury cell process another 20% by the end of 2007.
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Improving safety performance
The Chlorine Institute tracks the chlor-alkali industry’s safety and environmental performance. Its data shows continuing downward trends in worker injury rates2, chlorine releases3, and process safety incidents4. In 2005, the worker injury rate for North American chloralkali producers was 79% lower than the average rate for all U.S. workers. The Chlorine Institute has established goals for further improvement by 2010 (with 2005 as a baseline): a 50% reduction in worker injury rate; a 75% reduction in chlorine releases; and zero process incidents. The industry’s long-term goal is zero injuries, reportable releases and process safety incidents.
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Expanding scientific knowledge of chlorinated compounds
Environment Canada and health Canada are conducting an assessment of all chemicals marketed in Canada, totaling around 23,000 substances. C4 and other chemical industry sectors have been actively engaged in the process and proactive in the review of chlorine-related compounds. The North American chlor-alkali industry will continue to work constructively with government departments on chemical assessment programs.
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Chlorine: essential to safe drinking water
The vast majority of public drinking water systems in the U.S. and Canada use chlorinebased disinfectants to destroy microorganisms and protect public health. In Canada, the Walkerton (Ontario) tragedy in 2000—when some 2,300 people became ill and seven died due to E. coli in inadequately chlorinated drinking water—has highlighted the importance of water disinfection in developed as well as developing countries. The Chlorine Chemistry Division of ACC created the Chlorine Chemistry Foundation (www.chlorinefoundation.org) to help increase sustainable access to safe drinking water in underserved communities and areas ravaged by natural disasters. This charitable foundation works with partners to help prevent diseases, improve quality of life and promote sustainable development around the globe. Current initiatives include:
- Rehabilitating the water supply system in Loma Linda, El Salvador, in partnership with the American Red Cross.
- Supporting the New Forest Project’s Clean Water Initiative for Central America, which provides chlorination equipment and training for small community water systems.
- Donating water purification sachets to rural community schools in Ethiopia, as part of Save the Children’s long-term water and health initiatives.
The chlor-alkali industry is committed to addressing environmental, health, safety and security challenges posed by our industry’s processes and products. While the chloralkali industry has a record of continuous improvement, challenges remain. We invite interactions with customers, consumers and the public as we continue on a path toward sustainability.
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Endnotes
1 As reported under U.S. EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory program. Back
2 The number of injuries and illnesses that occur per 200,000 work hours, as reported to the U.S. Occupational Safety and health Administration. Back
3 EPA Reportable Quantity (RQ) Releases. For chlorine, the reportable release quantity is ten pounds during any 24-hour period. Back
4 EPA Risk Management Program Incidents. An incident is defined as an event that results in injury, environmental damage or property damage above US $50,000. Back
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South American chlor-alkali industry:
sustainability progress continues
The chlor-alkali industry continues to be an important sector in South America, with chlorine production capacity totalling 2,113,000 tonnes, and consumption amounting to 1,819,000 tonnes in 2005. In terms of productivity, the chlor-alkali sector was the third-largest contributor to the economy in 2003, after oil refining and oil and gas exploration. This chlor-alkali industry is committed to sustainable development, with members of the South American chlor-alkali industry association, Clorosur, and the Brazilian association, Abiclor, actively involved in a range of initiatives to improve the sustainability of the industry, and to contribute to achieving the U.N. Millennium Development Goals.
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Environmental projects
Braskem’s Green Belt Environmental Education Center (Alagoas State, Brazil) was created in 1987, and today is a key feature of the landscape of Pontal da Barra (Maceio, Alagoas) where Braskem’s chlor-alkali unit is located. Positioned between the Atlantic Ocean and Mundaú Lagoon, it covers 150 hectares; some $8 million have been invested in landscaping 20 hectares to create ideal natural environments. Since its creation, Braskem’s Green Belt has housed some 300 wild animals—including endangered species—and over 180,000 seedlings have been planted. It has been certified by Brazil’s environmental agency, IBAMA, and UNESCO as a Brazilian Fo rest and Wildlife Conservation Nursery. In a further positive environmental development, Braskem reduced its production of liquid waste effluents by 44 percent in 2002-04, and is targeting a further reduction of 28 percent in the period to 2010 (amounting to a 72 percent reduction between 2002 and 2010). Investments in reducing wastes in 2002-06 totaled some $2.0 million with current annual savings of about $0.5 million. Braskem signed the UNEP International Declaration on Cleaner Production—in 1999. This aims for “continuous application of an integrated, preventive strategy applied to processes, products and services in pursuit of economic, social, health, safety and environmental benefits.” Abiclor also signed this declaration in 2005.
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Hygiene and water-related projects
The chlor-alkali industry—including Clorosur, Abiclor and member company Solvay Indupa (Brazil)—is supporting a Water and citizenship project. Solvay Indupa has donated 240 water cisterns to families in the rural, semi-arid region of north-eastern Brazil (Bahia, Piauí and Ceará states). A partnership with the Movement of Community Organization, Caritas Brazil and the Semi-Arid Coordination Group, the initiative aims to supply water for drinking and cooking by collecting rainwater using PVC pipes, fittings and gutters.
The rainwater is then disinfected using chlorine-based products. Each cistern has a storage capacity of 16,000 liters of water, sufficient for the drinking and cooking needs of a family of six for eight months. Since 2003, 1,500 residents have benefited directly; an expansion of the program is planned. Data gathered from families who received cisterns show a dramatic decrease in cases of diarrhea among children.
Abiclor is supporting a hygiene project in the pediatric medicine department of Santa Casa de Misericordia Hospital, announced in September 2005. The association is donating sodium hypochlorite bleach for disinfection of facilities for some 5,000 patients. Based on the results of a pilot project, the program may be extended into other sectors of the hospital. Abiclor will provide educational materials on bleach use for hospital staff, and a survey of the frequency of hospitalizations due to infections will be carried out. Prodesal S.A., a chlor-alkali company based in Cali, Columbia, is supporting a hygiene project at the Fundamor Foundation, an orphanage for children with HIV/AIDS. The company is donating sodium hypochlorite bleach for disinfection of facilities and providing educational materials on bleach use, with a focus on the importance of cleaning water tanks and water chlorination.
Community relations projects
Abiclor has developed an educational campaign in partnership with the Brazilian chloralkali producer, Carbocloro S.A., including materials on using bleach to prevent cholera, kill the mosquito that transmits dengue fever, and disinfect food; and a comic book focusing on drinking water disinfection. Abiclor also promotes an annual contest for some 60,000 pupils in public schools on health and quality of life issues.
Carbocloro, launched its Open plant program in 1985, allowing local communities to experience industrial production first-hand. Since that date, some 58,000 people have visited the company’s plant, including demonstrations of safety procedures and environmental protection activities. Other programs in place at the company include City of tomorrow, an initiative providing computers and internet access to a local school;
an Ecological competition for students; and annual donation of around 350 tonnes of bleach every year to local charities, municipal health centres, recreation clubs and relief centres in disaster areas. The company also has a Consulting Panel which meets with local residents to address any safety, health or environmental concerns. For the future, sustainable development will continue to be a priority for South American chlor-alkali companies.
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