Chlorine is added to our water supplies and it is a highly dangerous and toxic chemical. In this article we have gathered seven conclusive reasons why Chlorine is worse than the seven deadly sins all put together.

1. Toxic Chlorine Gas Inhalation

There is no getting around the fact that as a gas Chlorine is toxic. In fact it was used in World War I as a weapon. The toxicity of Chlorine as a gas is extremely high, when Chlorine gas is breathed into the lungs it can damage the airways that route to the lungs and once inside the lungs it can damage the lungs themselves. In an environment like our bathrooms, where we are in small enclosed spaces that have very little ventilation. Hot steamy showers or hot water usage at basins will cause for Chlorine in water to vaporise and thus will give Chlorine in water more opportunity to be breathed in. Even though the amounts of Chlorine in tap water may be small, a hot steamy bathroom environment can expose our lungs to higher levels of Chlorine because of the compounded nature of a small room and low ventilation.

2. Damages Skin

Chlorine is a dangerous solvent. It is used in many industrial industries as a cleaner and a bleaching agent. Even at low levels the solvent and bleaching properties of Chlorine will still adversely skin. This is doubly troubling in a shower, where hot water has opened up the pores of the skin and will therefore allow for Chlorine to penetrate the usually water proof surface of our epidermal. Once Chlorine has penetrated the epidermal layer of our skin it begins to work in a variety of ways; it damages skin cells by disrupting the mineral and oil balance within our skin, it destroys the the natural fluid balance within cells thereby killing skin cells, it also strips our skin of natural oils which moisturise and maintain a youthful and healthy appearance.

3. Creates Carcinogenic THMs

THMs are a by product of when Chlorine reacts to natural organic material found in water supplies. For example natural algae will grow in pipes which delivery water to our homes. Or dead leaves may be trapped in water pipes which bring water to our homes. When these natural organic substances make contact with the Chlorine that is put into our water supplies, THMs are caused. Scientists from all over the world have done much research into THMs and all world health organisations have labelled them as carcinogenic, which means exposure to them will cause cancer. If we know that Chlorine is the reason why there are THMs in our water supplies and we know that THMs are carcinogenic, then we need to act to remove THMs and Chlorine from our water to ensure a healthy environment.

4. Can Worsen Eczema

The actual cause for eczema is yet unknown, but it has been linked generally to genetics and may run in families. There is no actual cure for eczema and often people will have eczema during their childhood and grow out of the condition. For many people this does not happen and they can live their whole lives suffering from eczema. It is a skin condition which creates red, flaky dryness of areas of skin and can cause great uncomfortably and distress. When exposure to Chlorine in showers removes the natural oils in skin this causes for skin to become very dry and for skin cells to begin dying. The loss of oils and dryness can cause eczema in those that are already prone to eczema.

5. Damages Hair and Scalp

Chlorine is used in many cleaning products. Cleaning products are designed to remove oils, dirt and bacteria from surfaces. In a shower our hair and scalp is exposed to fine hard jets of Chlorinated water that is hitting us at high pressure. Naturally our hair and scalps produce a lot of oil to maintain health. This natural oil protects our hair from the elements, such as wind and sun exposure. By stripping out all of the natural oils that our hair and scalp product to protect itself, Chlorine can cause dry and flaky scalps - which can cause a lot of uncomfortable itching. The lack of oil natural oil in our scalps can also lead to dandruff and other flaky scalp conditions.

6. Turns Blonde Hair Green

When blonde hair is exposed to Chlorine it can sometimes turn green. In actual fact it is not the Chlorine itself that is turning the blonde hair green, it actually is copper which is naturally found in water that is turning the hair green. What happens is that when someone with blonde hair bathes in Chlorinated water, if there is copper in that water as well, the Chlorine will act to bind the copper to the colour shafts of the hair. With copper naturally being of a green colour, the Chlorine binds the green copper to the naturally colourless hair and therefore blonde people will often come out of Chlorinated showers with green hair. This can be especially bad if the home has copper pipes, or for people who live in areas that have water supplies with a lot of natural copper in them.

7. Bad for the Environment

Chlorine is used a vast array of industrial processes and substances. From cleaning materials, bleaching paper to even creating plastics. It is one of the top 10 chemicals used in the world and the Chlorine industry is a multi-billion pound industry. In nature we find a lot of naturally produced Chlorine, it can be found in the earth's crust in the sea and virtually any decaying organic matter will have some type of chlorine or chlorinated compound within it. But with the significant over usage of Chlorine in our environment this natural balance of Chlorine is being over thrown and we are seeing the effects of over Chlorination with an over abundance of chemicals which are harming the environment. For example Dioxins, PCBs, and DDT are organochlorine compounds and these chemicals are being seen in higher abundance and are known to mimic oestrogen in the body and cause health concerns. Chlorine usage has also caused higher levels of chlorofluorocarbons, these are the chemicals which are known to destroy the ozone layer.

In conclusion, Chlorine is not only bad for our bodies and our health, but its over usage is bad for our environment. We need to take steps in our bathrooms to avoid exposure to Chlorine in a place where we are most vulnerable to its effects. By removing Chlorine using shower filters we can protect ourselves and or families from the known effects of such a hazardous chemical.

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