Isn Clorox a big dumper of chlorine into the environment?
Many specific concerns have been raised about bleach in particular as a product. Some people feel that we should not work with a company whose signature consumer product is, indeed, bleach. Many comments seem to assume that bleach is an inappropriate product – that Clorox, if it was genuinely concerned about the environment, would stop making it. The Sierra Club did extensive due diligence on sodium hypochlorite and household bleach before entering into this partnership. Clorox bleach is about 6% sodium hypochlorite and the other 94% is plain water. When flushed down into the sewer it breaks down into water and salt. The manufacture of household bleach is responsible for an infinitesimal portion of chlorine use in the US economy. Most chlorine is used to make other industrial chemicals, including dangerous solvents and pesticides. Bleach is not a major source of demand for sodium hypochlorite. By far the major use of sodium hypochlorite is to purify drinking water. Virtually all of the
