The Chlorine Debate: How White Do You Want It? Essay -- essays researc

The chlorine Debate How White Do You Want It?     Chlorine is one of the worlds most widely used chemicals, the building factor vital to almost every United States industry. We use chlorine andchlorine-based products whenever we drink a meth of water, buy food wrapped inplastic, purchase produce in the supermarket, pour bleach into a washing machine,have a prescription filled, yarn-dye out a computer document like this one, or evendrive a car. (Abelson 94)     Chlorine, a member of the halogen (salt-forming) group of metallicelements, was first do by Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1774, whotreated hydrochloric acid with manganese dioxide. In 1810, the English chemistSir Humphrey Davy determined that chlorine was a chemical element and named itfrom the Greek word meaning greenish-yellow. One hundred and eighty-five long timelater, chlorine compounds are ubiquitous components in the manufacturing ofpaper, plastics, insecticides, clea ning fluids, antifreeze, paints, medicines,and petroleum products. The unfortunate and requisite by-product of thesemanufacturing processes is dioxin, one of the most toxic substances on theplanet earth. Dioxins are also produced whenever chlorine containing substances,such as PVC, are burned.     Life as we populate it will change, if a Greenpeace ladder is successful.The powerful environmental group has mounted a well-organized campaign that hasas its objective nothing less than a total, global ban on chlorine. With thepublic health and billions of dollars at stake, the debate over chlorine hasbecome one of the worlds most contentious and controversial issues. "Is achlorine-free proximo possible?" asked Bonnie Rice, a spokesperson forGreenpeaces Chlorine Free Campaign. "Yes, it can be done without massivedisruption of the economy and of society, if it is done in the ripe(p) matter."(Gossen 94)     The chlorine industry and its allies say a total ban on chlorine wouldbe neither wise, possible, nor economically feasible. "We find the chlorinecampaign outrageous in its scope and purpose," explained Leo Anziano, theChairman of the Washington-based Chlorine Chemistry Council, and organizationthat lobbies on behalf of the chlorine industry. "We believe its bas... ...ingly undecidable debate, thebasis of the debate seems to be the solution. illegalise or getting rid ofchlorine, organochlorines, or most any other chemical can only cause moreproblems than they will solve unless a proven and effective alternative isdeveloped to take the place of that chemical. Most everyday things would haveto drastically be altered to make suit for a complete chlorine ban, and thatwould take a great deal of time, effort, and money to do.     If a ban on chlorine was implemented, who would be responsible for thecost and concern of switching the equipment the consumer, the producer,Greenpea ce and other environmental watch organizations, or the government? Thebrunt of the cost would most likely fall into the hands of the consumers, whichwould kill most middle and lowborn families.     Chlorine is a building block of most of our everyday conveniences and amajor player in most chemical compounds. Until a stouthearted and cost-effectivealternative is made, most of the everyday consumers will still have to go onusing the same chlorine and organochlorine-based products that they have usedfor years before.