Chlorine Calamity in our Drinking & Bathing water
Why do we poison ourselves, then wonder why we are sick?
Many people who suffer with skin or gut conditions don’t realise they poison themselves every time they drink or bathe in chlorinated water. Chlorine is highly toxic yet we knowingly add it to our water and food. Our greatest exposure to chlorine and its toxic disinfection by-products is through bathing, and the best way to reduce your exposure is to use an Beautiful Water Filter System.
Here are the ’10 Calamities of Chlorine’:
1. Chlorine is a potent poison
Chlorine is so toxic to bacteria it makes great disinfectants, antiseptics, pesticides and antibiotics. The acrid smell of chlorine can be detected above 0.1 ppm, inhaling 1- 4 ppm damages the lungs, above 40 ppm causes acute chest pain, shortness of breath, and cough, and above 400 ppm is fatal.
2. Chlorine has many toxic forms
Chlorine gas was used to kill soldiers in the First World War. Chlorine bleach and disinfectants produce toxic disinfection by-products. Organochlorines like DDT are persistent pollutants that accumulate in the food-chain. Chlorofluorocarbons are volatile compounds toxic to the ozone layer. PVC releases dioxins and other hazardous waste into the environment.
3. Chlorine is toxic when ingested.
Chlorine forms poisonous acids in the body and its disinfection by-products such as Trihalomethanes are known to cause cancer and birth defects. Persistent exposure to low levels of chlorine and its by-products in contaminated drinking water and food may lead to gut dysbiosis and a wide range of chronic diseases.
4. Chlorine is toxic on skin
Chlorine in bathing water directly irritates and dries out skin and hair and may alter the skin microflora leading to skin dysbiosis. Chlorine may cause or aggravate many diseases including psoriasis, allergies, eczema, contact dermatitis, acne, poor wound-healing, skin ulcers, dandruff, yeast and fungal infections, rosacea, and accelerated skin aging.
5. Chlorine is toxic when inhaled
Chlorine and its volatile by-products are released when chlorinated water is heated and are easily inhaled. Chlorine irritates the mucous membranes in your eyes, nose and respiratory tract and causes immediate or delayed symptoms including watering eyes, sneezing, sinus congestion, coughing, choking, wheezing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and death.
6. Chlorine is volatile.
Chlorine and its volatile by-products avoid first-pass metabolism in your liver by being directly absorbed into the bloodstream through the large surface area of your lungs and skin. Exposure to hot water through bathing, showering, dishwashing or other activities therefore produces greater exposure to disinfection by-products than exposure through drinking.
7. Chlorine is more toxic for the young
Chlorinated water is associated with higher rates of still births and birth defects. Infants and young children’s skin, eyes, respiratory tract and developing microbiome are more sensitive to chlorine and its by-products, which may contribute to the development and aggravation of asthma, hay fever, allergies, skin irritation and gut dysbiosis.
8. Chlorine leads to leaks
Chlorine and its volatile by-products can erode flexible, braided water hoses leading to leaks and plumbing failure when chlorine-based cleaners and disinfectants are stored nearby. Chlorine can also cause pinhole pitting in copper pipes and cause leaks and water damage to buildings and the development of dampness, moisture and mould.
9. Chlorine leaches lead
Chlorine and its by-products are corrosive agents and they combine with pH, alkalinity, temperature, oxidation potential, and other chemicals to leach lead from pipes, solder and ‘lead-free’ brass plumbing fixtures. Lead in drinking water leads to neurotoxicity, and stunted cognitive development, learning disabilities, attention difficulties and antisocial behaviour in children.
10. Chlorine makes hazardous waste
Chlorine-based products such as PVC produce dioxins and other hazardous Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) when they are burned. POPs are toxic to human and wildlife at low levels, do not degrade easily, are distributed around the globe through long-range environmental transport, and bioaccumulate up the food chain in fatty tissue.
One of the BEST and simplest ways to improve you and your families overall health and well-being is to ensure they have water that is free from Chlorine. Take a look at our range of Home Water Filter Systems to ensure you have the highest quality water available.
