toggle
Receive Email Updates
Euro Chlor, the European chlor-alkali association, has recently unveiled its new website. The new online portal has been designed to promote the benefits of chlor-alkali and its products and the many jobs that rely on them whilst spreading information on best practices in safety, health and environmental protection.
Euro Chlor’s 34 producer members operate 65 manufacturing locations in 19 European countries, representing 97% of all European production capacity.
Euro Chlor represents the interests of chlor-alkali producers in Europe and is an active member of the World Chlorine Council.
Euro Chlor’s managing director, Dr Marleen Pauwels, noted that “We are proud of our brand new online presence which, alongside our social media channels, will help us to better support a safe, sustainable and successful chlor-alkali industry for Europe”.
The site is available at www.eurochlor.org.
The American Chemistry Council’s Chlorine Chemistry Division has released an excellent new video, focusing on the key role that chlorine chemistry plays in protecting drinking water.
It shows how chlorine gets rid of bacteria, viruses, and parasites from water to keep us healthy. It also keeps drinking water safe as it makes the journey from the water treatment facility to our glass.
This video is part of a wider series that shows other benefits of chlorine chemistry and how it truly is the ‘Element of Surprise’.
More on this can be found via the website – https://www.elementofsurprise.org
The first ever digital version of Euro Chlor’s Industry Review has recently been launched at https://chlorineindustryreview.com. This 2017/2018 version covers the most important European industry information from the past year divided up into five sections – Sustainability, Safety, Regulatory, Manufacturing & applications, and About Euro Chlor.
The updated Industry Review contains noteworthy stories, interactive figures, and the latest data and statistics. On the homepage there is an introduction video and speech from Euro Chlor’s Executive Director Dolf van Wijk and Management Committee Chair Dieter Schnepel. Also find investment, production, and capacity highlights, and how Euro Chlor members have helped to ensure the safe use of chemicals.
Euro Chlor is in the process of moving from print to a digital format for the Euro Chlor Industry Review, and would appreciate you spending a few minutes to evaluate the new online version. Click here to complete the online survey or contact eurochlor@cefic.be to give your feedback.
A summarized version of the review is also available in print and downloadable PDF format at the bottom of the homepage.
WCC Exhibit at 2018 UN High Level Political on Sustainable Development
The World Chlorine Council is honored to exhibit at the 2018 United Nations (UN) High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) with partners from Water Engineers for the Americas and Haiti-Philanthropy. This year the HLPF is focused on six Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 7, Affordable and Clean Energy; SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities; SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production; SDG 15, Life on Land; and, SDG 17, Partnerships for the Goals. All of these SDGs are touched by chlorine chemistry and organizations such as the WCC.
For SDG 6, chlorine plays an especially critical role in making water safe to drink, disinfecting wastewater, and as a component of water infrastructure through PVC pipes. SDG 7 is supported by chlorine chemistry as a building block chemistry in the manufacture of key ingredients in solar panels, wind turbines, and hybrid car batteries. Chlorine chemistry helps achieve SDG 11 in its role to better transportation networks, provide affordable housing materials, and manufacture telecommunications and computer technology. Using chlorine chemistry to manufacture titanium and titanium dioxide results in less waste, conserves resources, and contributes to a circular economy, exemplifying SDG 12. Lastly, SDG 15 is aided by chlorine chemistry in the manufacturing of crop protection compounds that improve agricultural yields, reduce soil erosion, and help prevent habitat loss.
Chlorine chemistry is essential to help achieve many of the SDGs. Additionally, so are organizations like the WCC that bring people together from around the globe to discuss, partner, and further global progress toward sustainability.
Andrew Robertson instructs community leaders in a train-the-trainer session on packaging donated chlorine disinfectant for individual household disinfection and mold removal in Canóvanas, Puerto Rico.
Caribbean hurricanes Irma and Maria of the 2017 season, now distant memories for many, remain top of mind for Puerto Ricans who are still recovering from those historic storms. During the hurricanes, many homes in Puerto Rico flooded with contaminated water. Worse, many homes had their roofs blown away, so every time it rains, the homes flood again. Water finds its way under roofs and in walls and ceilings, causing a major infestation of mold and other microbes.
Through a donation of 4,000 pounds of chlorine disinfectant from the American Chemistry Council’s Chlorine Chemistry Division and a partnership with the Water Engineers for the Americas (WEFTA), the people of Puerto Rico learned first-hand how chlorine chemistry can help them recover from the Hurricanes.
WEFTA engineer-volunteer Andrew Robertson and his daughter Kati traveled to Puerto Rico. They visited five communities with a combined population of 10,000 people to help residents learn how to disinfect their homes using a granular chlorine product NaDCC. Their strategy was to identify local leaders in each community and train them on how to (a) safely package the disinfectant into smaller portions, and (b) use the disinfectant safely in the home. The leaders were then responsible for distributing the chlorine and teaching their neighbors on how to use the disinfectant in their homes safely.
These trying times in Puerto Rico underscore the importance of organisational partnerships, such as this one, which facilitated recovery from natural disaster with the help of chlorine chemistry.
Depiction of titanium dioxide nanoparticles.
In two recent developments, titanium dioxide (TiO2) is driving advances in solar power generation and cameras and optical devices for virtual and augmented reality. Chlorine facilitates the production of TiO2 by transforming and purifying the materials.
Heat transfer in solar power plants could be made dramatically more efficient using nanofluids made with TiO2, reports Phys.org. A recent paper in the Renewable Energy journal describes a way to improve the efficiency of this heat transfer by adding tiny particles of titanium dioxide. Known as nanoparticles, these increase the amount of electricity generated from solar plants. Thanks to the titanium dioxide nanoparticles, the ability of the heat-transfer material to conduct heat rose by almost 53%, and the efficiency of the nanofluids improved by up to 35%.
In the second innovation, TiO2 has been used to make a distortion-free lens with a simple, flat surface, which may revolutionize optical devices (Nature Nanotechnology). Using tiny, fin-shaped particles of TiO2 known as nanofins, this can focus the full spectrum of visible light at high resolution on one spot, which previously required a stack of bulky, curved conventional lenses. These were required because light of various colors travels at different speeds through lenses. The new ‘metalens’ – which is reportedly thin, easy to manufacture and cost effective – opens new possibilities both in traditional cameras and in virtual and augmented reality (Photonics.com).
In response to the Zika virus epidemic of 2015-2016, the Brazilian Association for the Chlor-Alkali and Derivatives Industry (Abiclor) launched the CloroNaZika campaign. This campaign informed citizens and raised awareness on how to prevent the proliferation of the mosquito Aedes aegypti by using chlorine bleach. As the Zika epidemic lessened in 2017, the campaign continues today as Cloro no Aedes.
Scientific studies from the University of São Paulo have shown that chlorine bleach is almost 100% effective in preventing the development of Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae, the type of mosquito that spreads Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Since 80% of mosquitos’ proliferation starts inside residences, the campaign guides people on how to use chlorine bleach to clean bins, toilets, gardens, water tanks, drains, plumbing, planters and other items that collect water to prevent the growth of mosquito larvae.
Abiclor, in partnership with the Brazilian government, distributed leaflets in strategic spots of Brazil’s major cities containing information on how to properly use chlorine bleach to be effective against mosquito larvae development. Radio and print ads also helped spread the message to the people of Brazil. The campaign continues to be publicized on social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
In this application, chlorine chemistry has proven to help the people of Brazil combat the diseases spread by the mosquito Aedes aegypti.
In 2015, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Smart Cities Mission. The objective of the Smart Cities Mission is to upgrade 100 existing cities or build new Smart Cities in India. These cities are to provide core infrastructure, a higher quality of life to residents, and a clean and sustainable environment through the application of sustainable solutions based on inclusive development.
To achieve the Smart Cities Mission, the country aims to enhance physical infrastructure, such as reliable clean water, electricity supply, sanitation, solid waste management, public transport, IT connectivity, citizen safety, as well as provide social facilities such as health, education, and recreational facilities. Additionally, technology solutions will be applied for electronic services delivery, waste to compost/energy, treatment/recycling of wastewater, renewable energy, green buildings, intelligent traffic management, and parking, among other issues faced by cities. The Indian government clearly defined what they meant by “Smart.” Over half of the 11 objectives were environmental and main components of the metabolism of a city.
Chlorine chemistry will play a vital role in accomplishing India’s Smart Cities Mission. Products of the chlor-alkali manufacturing process, chlorine and sodium hydroxide, are essential to manufacturing PVC pipes that transport water, energy-saving vinyl windows, fiber optic cables and computer chips for IT infrastructure, solar power panels that generate electricity, “pickled” steel used in construction and electricity distribution, treated water, and many other products.
While India strives to enhance the livability and sustainability of its cities, chlorine chemistry will continue to be a key element to attain the goals of the Smart Cities Mission.
Euro Chlor, the European federation of chlor-alkali manufacturers, has launched a new communications programme which demonstrates how chlor-alkali helps Europe to work safely, efficiently and competitively.
Over 7500 people are directly employed in making chlorine and caustic soda (chlor-alkali) in Europe with many of the derived products, which we rely on every day, helping to make our lives easier, safer or healthier.
In addition to these chemical professionals, many other jobs also need chlor-alkali chemistry; jobs which would be very different, less efficient or more dangerous without it: decorators, surgeon, factory workers, water network technicians, pharmaceutical producers, plumbers and more.
The new ’17 Successes’ initiative will provide real-life examples of 17 Europeans (17 = chlorine’s number in Periodic Table) whose success at work is all thanks to chlor-alkali chemistry. To start, short biographies of a Firefighter, a Police Officer and an Animal Carer are given with more to come over the coming months. These are presented on a new website where more can be discovered at www.17successes.com.
New York high school students Ryan Thorpe and Rachel Chang, receive the 2017 Stockholm Junior Water Prize from H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden in Stockholm
Photo credit: The Stockholm International Water Institute
At this summer’s Stockholm International Water Institute’s World Water Week meeting, two New York high school students were awarded the Stockholm Junior Water Prize for their rapid contaminant detection and water purification system. Ryan Thorpe and Rachel Chang accepted the prize from Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden at the August festivities.
The students engineered graphene-based biosensors to detect minute levels of specific bacteria in less than one second, a great improvement over conventional methods, which can take one to two days. An added bonus: The biosensors can detect as few as one colony forming unit (CFU) of bacteria. Other rapid DNA detection methods often require 1,000 CFUs.
The water purification part of the system is achieved by injecting hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide into contaminated water. These chemicals react to produce hydroxyl free radicals, short-lived, highly reactive chemical species composed of oxygen and hydrogen. Hydroxyl free radicals eliminate organic matter (e.g., bacteria) in the water, producing carbon dioxide and water. Dr. Joan Rose, the 2016 recipient of the Stockholm Water Prize congratulated the “highly impressive and articulate young people,” noting, “The creative energy with which they have tackled a significant global challenge is exactly what the world community needs to get us to a better world for all.”