EPA has developed information summaries on selected chemicals to describe how you might be exposed to these chemicals, how exposure to them might affect you and the environ- ment, what happens to them in the environment, who regulates them, and whom to contact for additional information. EPA is committed to reducing environmental releases of chemicals through source reduction and other practices that reduce creation of pollutants.
Chlorine is a highly reactive gas.
It is a naturally occurring element. US demand for chlorine is expected to increase slightly over the next several years and then decline. The expected decline in US demand is due to environmental concerns for chlorinated organic chemicals. Paper companies use chlorine to bleach paper. Water and wastewater treatment plants use chlorine to reduce water levels of microorganisms that can spread disease to humans.