Clorox Eliminating Chlorine Over Safety Concerns

CHICAGO (AP) -- Household products maker The Clorox Co. said Monday it is changing how it makes its namesake bleach so it can stop transporting chlorine to U.S. factories by rail amid growing safety concerns and regulatory scrutiny.

Starting at its Fairfield, Calif., factory north of San Francisco, Clorox said it plans to switch to high-strength bleach with a higher concentration of sodium hypochlorite instead of buying chlorine and making bleach onsite.

Clorox expects to finish the transition in Fairfield in six months. Its six other factories around the United States will be changed over the following few years.

"Our goal is ultimately to eliminate the transportation of chlorine from our U.S. supply chain," spokesman Dan Staublin said.

Staublin said the company will eventually make the changes at all seven of its U.S. bleach manufacturing facilities. Clorox would not disclose how much it would cost to make the changes, which will affect the products in its namesake Clorox bleach line.

While the bleach-making process will change, the end products will not, and consumers won't notice a difference in quality, smell or color, Staublin said.

Staublin said transporting certain chemicals including chlorine, especially by rail, could get harder as regulators scrutinize the issue. Laws already bar transporting toxic materials, including substances that can vaporize, such as chlorine, through large cities.

"By transitioning to a new manufacturing process now, that allows us to stay head of regulations and potentially avoid costs," Staublin said. "With the regulatory environment we're in now, the transportation of different chemicals is being scrutinized maybe more than ever before."

Environmental watchdog Greenpeace applauded the company's decision.

"By ending the use of chlorine gas, Clorox also proves that eliminating these risks is both technically feasible and a smart business decision," said Rick Hind, Greenpeace's legislative director.

Staublin said the change also enhances security because Clorox won't be maintaining chlorine at its facilities.

Clorox shares rose 17 cents, or 0.3 percent, Monday to close at $59.40.

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What's the cost? 11/3/2009 11:35:00 AM Our National Government is making it tougher to do business, so Chlorox is modifying their processes. Having to change always costs something, and most companies pass this cost along to the consumer. So what will this cost us?
Chlorine gas 11/3/2009 12:21:00 PM It will cost you pennies but it may save your life. Shipping liquified chlorine by rail is just plain nuts. The potential of a disaster is too high.
Are they SERIOUS? 11/3/2009 12:25:00 PM First off, I hope they plan to continue transportation by rail, as it is the most efficient method of transporting big loads. Then, I can forsee the shipping costs skyrocketing because the volume of product shipped in will vastly multiply. And, if Greenwar approves it, there is definitely un necessary excess costs involved! A tanker of chlorine gas equals how many tankers of high strength liquid? Dozens? Hundreds? And don't even consider shipping this liquid on the highways!
What is the cost of someone's life? 11/3/2009 12:27:00 PM Protecting our citizens from situations that can cause mass casualties is what our government is supposed to do, do you think that companies (other than Clorox), really would do this themselves? Dow Chemical comes to mind, I wonder how many of the thousands that died in India feel about their governments lack of action?
Eliminated cost 11/3/2009 12:31:00 PM If you buy generic bleach, it won't cost you anything extra.
What is the Cost.... 11/3/2009 12:53:00 PM Rom? Is that you lurking behind another national crisis to justify more intrusive government? How about if we just stay home and cower in a dark corner? Those drives to work could get us killed or seriously injured, you know. No, No! What if the house catches fire and I am her alone in this dark corner? Yes, I'll sleep in the yard tonight that will protect me from fire and a possible earthquake...
Has to be terrorism related... 11/3/2009 2:00:00 PM At least in part. The govt. has probably intercepted plans to blow up tankers of chlorine in populated areas. Remember this next time you wait in long lines to take your shoes off at the airport, and thank some camel dung juggler for the privilege. Add the costs of this to the trillions of dollars already spent on defending us from Islamic radicalism and terrorism, then you will quickly see that the military is not the main expenditure in the war on terror. We need to stop being nice to Islamic countries fomenting extremism and violence, or offer to share some of these costs with them, also.
Is Chlorine a monster? 11/3/2009 2:06:00 PM I see that some folks posting here want to vilify any use of chlorine - it kills people you know. Automobiles kill some 43,000 people in the United States every year, yet I don't see people complaining about that. Since 1980 more people have been killed in automobile collisions than in all of our wars combined. Chlorine has a myriad of uses; as a disinfectant and purifier, in plastics and polymers, solvents, agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, as well as an intermediate in manufacturing other substances where it is not contained in the final product. About 85% of medicines are made using chlorine chemistry, 96% of crop protection used by farmers are based on chlorine chemistry, 55% of chemical production depends on chlor-alakali products, and 98% of our drinking water is made safe with the help of chlorine. All Chlorox is doing is shifting direct contact with chlorine to some other vendor. Chlorine will still be used to produce the increased levels of sodium hypochlorite they use in their products. Tons of chlorine is manufactured every day and shipped by rail quite safely. The Clorox decision will simply have zero impact on overall chlorine consumption.
Chlorine and the Greenpeace Global Agenda 11/3/2009 4:25:00 PM An important revelation to consider from the former co-founder of Greenpeace can be found here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120882720657033391.html
Whats the big deal guys 11/3/2009 6:01:00 PM Clorox is changing the way it does things so what, what company does not or has not changed it's process? Companies change suppliers and chemicals all the time and you never know. So what's the difference this time? Greenpeace, they appluade and now all of the sudden it's a government conspiracy, terrorist threat or the end of railway shipments. So I suppose the government regulation of beef and other foods to protect from e-coli is really a government plot or terrorist activity too right? Companies across the globe are switching to a "green" production. From bio foams and plastics in our cars to eco friendly bottles and paper everyone is jumping on the green bandwagon because it sells! Furthermore rail industry is not going to come to an end it's still the most economical, fuel efficent and fastest way to ship products from west coast to east coast and everywhere in between. If it wasn't I really don't think Warren Buffet would be investing 34 Billion into buying Burlinton now would he? Bottom line is times changes, regulations change, companies change to keep in the market whether it be for safety or market share. It's not the end of the world or an agenda, it's life.
Nobody said Cl is the monster. Hail Chlorine. 11/7/2009 2:23:00 PM Traffic's consumption of human life will be unaffected by attempts to make automobiles safer. We're not talking about production or usage of Chlorine, but TRANSPORTATION of Chlorine. Like you pointed out, there is a LOT OF IT USED. I don't think changing vendors has anything to do with how it is shipped but I think it will affect the distance it travels between the other vendors, perhaps putting them out of the direct reach of rail lines thus putting it into trucking. By chlorine-based crop protection did you mean DDT?
don't trust the watermelons 11/9/2009 2:15:00 PM I wonder if this is yet another tactical maneouver from the watermelons (green outside, red (communist) inside) from greenwar. Now instead of having Chlorine distributed around the US, it will likely be stored in just a few sites, creating the exact problem we have with oil and gas extraction from the gulf states: when the majority of the supply is concentrated in one area, when there's trouble in shuch area, there are shortages and prices go up. greedpeace wanting to create a Katrina like shortage?
Smart Business Decision 11/10/2009 4:02:00 PM Clorox is obviously changing process to protect itself against liability and lawsuit in the event that a rail car is ruptured, either through common accident or terrorist intent. They are also reducing the likelyhood of terrorist attack upon their chlorine storage facilities. Greenpeace is just seeking a little free glory and did not play into the decision.

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