The most famous use of chlor-alkali chemistry is in the disinfection of drinking water. Such disinfectants have been used for over 100 years but the United Nations Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) estimate that almost 900 million people still do not have enough fresh water to meet their daily needs. A lack of potable water is the single most important cause of recurring outbreaks of diseases such as cholera. This is why safe water is number 6 in the UN Sustainable Development Goals and is where chlor-alkali disinfectants can help. It also allows you to take a dip in the pool to cool off on a hot summer day without worrying about waterborne diseases.

Chlor-Alkali chemicals are critical for public health such as:

• In making soap to keep our hands and bodies clean,
• Sterile, heat-resistant and oxygen permeable PVC blood bags are essential during hospital operations,
• Disinfectants like bleach to safely keep our work environments and hospitals germ-free, as well as our swimming pools clean,
• PVC packaging helps transport our medicines to us to help treat illness,
• Polyurethane is used in ‘balloon pumps’ that can be placed directly in the heart to help it squeeze more blood,

Chlorinated disinfectants to keep water distribution networks/ showers free of bacteria that cause things like Legionnaires’ disease.