What is the APVMA’s position on health concerns arising from use of chlorine to sanitize water?
The APVMA recognises that some people are concerned by advertising and media reports that chlorine used to disinfect water might be dangerous. Although chlorine is a very effective and long-established water sanitiser, it has been shown to produce small amounts of unwanted disinfection by products (DBPs) as a result of reacting with organic matter in the water. Some of the DBPs are irritants and some could have a potential for adverse health effects if they were to be present in high enough concentrations. However, in relation to these possible hazards of chlorine disinfection by products, the APVMA agrees with the position of the World Health Organization (WHO) final draft report entitled “Guidelines for Safe Recreational-Water Environments, volume 2: swimming pools, spas and similar recreational-water environments, chapter 4 – Chemical Hazards” dated August 2000. WHO stated regarding chemical disinfectants for swimming pools: “It must be emphasized that although the use of chemical d
