chlorine

Chlorine kills bacteria in sewage but creates environmental headaches, writes Wired reporter

Wednesday, March 30, 2005
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
Editor of NaturalNews.com (See all articles...)

eTrust Pro Certified

Pin It

Summary

Chlorine is often used to decontaminate and disinfect sewage before it is pumped out to sea, but chlorine kills fish and marine invertebrates as well as bacteria. Though sewage is supposed to be dechlorinated before it is disposed of, chlorination also produces carcinogenic byproducts that can be as dangerous as the chlorine itself.

Original source:
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,66855,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_4

Details

Ever since the advent of modern plumbing, people have embraced a practice of flush and forget. Unfortunately, public works employees and clean-water advocates rarely enjoy such a luxury, and recent debate has focused on the final step in sewage processing, chlorine disinfection, which is no longer the foregone conclusion it once was. Chlorine disinfection kills pathogenic bacteria so people swimming or fishing near treatment plants' discharge locations don't contract cholera, E. coli infection, Legionnaires' disease or other illnesses. The practice is still widespread, and chlorine remains the most widely used disinfectant at 16,000 wastewater treatment plants nationwide, according to John Millett, a spokesman for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. However, the toxicity of chlorine that kills harmful bacteria also hurts other life. And while the EPA says treatment plants must dechlorinate before spewing out treated wastewater, that effluent is not pure. "The chemical process might cause more problems in the environment than if you didn't do it at all," said Tom Franza, assistant general manager of wastewater enterprise for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, or SFPUC. In 1988, SFPUC successfully petitioned the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board to eliminate requirements to disinfect water released from a pipe four miles offshore. SFPUC conducted a study with the EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that tracked effluent currents and demonstrated that the bacteria died quickly in the cold, salty water and that the stream never made it shoreward, where surfers or bathers might get sick. In the short term, some municipalities such as San Francisco have succeeded in reducing their chemical use by improving chemical-delivery methods and developing more sensitive instruments to take measurements, according to Arleen Navarret, regulatory manager for SFPUC Wastewater Enterprise.

Get breaking health news + a LIFETIME 7% discount on everything at the NaturalNews Store
Join two million monthly readers. Email privacy 100% protected. Unsubscribe at any time.

Articles Related to This Article:

Russia may ban chicken imports from U.S. due to chlorine chemical used in processing

Chlorinated tap water linked to upsurge in food allergies worldwide: study

Chlorine-free pool and spa care - Ensure the health of your family

Chlorine: A Toxic Solution for the Production of White Paper

Chlorine gas shipped to municipal water treatment facilities could be terrorist target

Threats to River Water by Leading Ecologist Jim McMahon

Related video from NaturalNews.TV


Your NaturalNews.TV video could be here.
Upload your own videos at NaturalNews.TV (FREE)



About the author: Mike Adams is a consumer health advocate and award-winning journalist with a mission to teach personal and planetary health to the public He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, and he is well known as the creator of popular downloadable preparedness programs on financial collapse, emergency food storage, wilderness survival and home defense skills. Adams is an honest, independent journalist and accepts no money or commissions on the third-party products he writes about or the companies he promotes. In 2010, Adams launched TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural health video site featuring videos on holistic health and green living. He also launched an online retailer of environmentally-friendly products (BetterLifeGoods.com) and uses a portion of its profits to help fund non-profit endeavors. He's also a successful software entrepreneur, having founded a well known email marketing software company whose technology currently powers the NaturalNews email newsletters. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and pursues hobbies such as martial arts, Capoeira, nature macrophotography and organic gardening. Known by his callsign, the 'Health Ranger,' Adams posts his missions statements, health statistics and health photos at www.HealthRanger.org

Have comments on this article? Post them here:

 people have commented on this article.

Related Articles:

Russia may ban chicken imports from U.S. due to chlorine chemical used in processing

Chlorinated tap water linked to upsurge in food allergies worldwide: study

Chlorine-free pool and spa care - Ensure the health of your family

Chlorine: A Toxic Solution for the Production of White Paper

Chlorine gas shipped to municipal water treatment facilities could be terrorist target

Threats to River Water by Leading Ecologist Jim McMahon

Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com

Email this article to a friend

Share this article on: NewsVine | digg | del.icio.us

Permalink to this article:

Reprinting this article: Non-commercial use OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link.

Embed article link: (copy HTML code below):
Most Popular
Today | Week | Month | Year

See all Top Headlines...

Now Available at ShopNaturalNews.com

O3 Essentials OraJuvenate™
A powerful, cleansing dental cream for maximum oral/dental health.
New Cancer Solutions
Over 3 hours of content covering today’s best cancer tests, how to kill cancer cells and the best diets and exercise routines.
Freeze-Dried 100% Organic Whole Corn
Our freeze-drying method preserves taste, texture and nutrients better than any other food preservation method ever invented.
Fenix TK35 Flashlight
Tough, waterproof, extremely bright and it’s touted to throw an 800+ lumen beam more than 1,000 feet into the night.
Inca Treasure Smoothie Pack
This pack of our four most popular superfoods from South America is the perfect combo pack for smoothie lovers.
Pink Himalayan Salt
This salt delivers significant levels of magnesium, zinc and selenium, with trace levels of dozens of other elements.
Pinhole Glasses - Aviator Style
Pinhole glasses are becoming famous for helping people improve their vision without the risks of laser surgery.
Oxy-Rich Facial Serum
O3 Essentials Jojoba Oxy-Rich Facial Serum is cellular nourishment for your skin. Helps smooth fine lines while enhancing tissue elasticity.
Freeze-Dried 100% Blackberry Halves
Our freeze-dried blackberry halves are grown in Serbia under strict organic standards.

Also on NaturalNews:

Health Ranger Videos
Activist music
CounterThink Cartoons
Food documentaries
FREE Special Reports
Podcasts

Advertise with NaturalNews...

Support NaturalNews Sponsors:

Advertise with NaturalNews...

Most Popular Stories

Dear Donald Trump: Blockade the lying mainstream media and recognize the independent media as America's real free press
Kellogg's found to have financial ties to the money man for cop-killing left-wing HATE groups: George Soros

25 Amazing Facts About Food

This FREE downloadable report unveils a collection of astonishing and little-known facts about the food we eat very day. Click here to read it now...

 

Resveratrol and its Effects on Human Health and Longevity - Myth or Miracle.

Unlock the secrets of cellular health with the "miracle" nutrient Resveratrol Click here to read it now...

 

Nutrition Can Save America

FREE online report shows how we can save America through a nutrition health care revolution. "Eating healthy is patriotic!" Click here to read it now...

The Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D

In this exclusive interview, Dr. Michael Holick reveals fascinating facts on how vitamin D is created and used in the human body to ward off chronic diseases like cancer, osteoporosis, mental disorders and more. Click here to read it now...

Vaccines: Get the Full Story

The International Medical Council on Vaccination has released, exclusively through NaturalNews.com, a groundbreaking document containing the signatures of physicians, brain surgeons and professors, all of which have signed on to a document stating that vaccines pose a significant risk of harm to the health of children. Click here to read it now...

Health Ranger Storable Organics

GMO-free, chemical-free foods and superfoods for long-term storage and preparedness. See selection at www.StorableOrganics.com



Recommended Resources On:

Natural News trends
Health Ranger news
Natural News GMOs
Mike Adams tracker
Natural News photos
Natural News Global
Natural News in focus
Natural News connect
Natural News shocking stories
Natural News radar
GMOs
Quackwatch
Vaccines
Health freedom
Dr. Paul Offit

This site is part of the Natural News Network © 2014 All Rights Reserved. Privacy | Terms All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing International, LTD. is not responsible for content written by contributing authors. The information on this site is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice of any kind. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms and those published here. All trademarks, registered trademarks and servicemarks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners.

eTrust Pro Certified Android app on Google Play