Chlorine Is Essential to Healthy Swimming
       By: American Chemistry Council
Posted: 2007-05-24 09:23:09
Memorial Day weekend marks the opening of pools and water parks across the country. To help keep swimmers healthy and happy this summer, the American Chemistry Council's (ACC) Chlorine Chemistry Division is pleased to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week held May 21-27, 2007.

Swimming is a fun and healthy activity, yet it is important to emphasize healthy swimming behaviors and recreational water illness prevention. Preventing water borne illnesses requires participation from pool staff, swimmers and community health departments.

"Chlorine is part of the first line of defense pool staff use against germs that can make swimmers sick," stated Robert Simon, Managing Director for the American Chemistry Council's Chlorine Chemistry Division. "For nearly a century, chlorine disinfectants have been essential in protecting public health by destroying disease-causing bacteria, viruses and parasites found in water."

While proper pool maintenance is essential to healthy pools, swimmers also have an important role in helping to protect themselves and others. To stop germs from causing illness at the pool, CDC recommends "healthy swimming" behaviors, including:

-- Always showering before entering the pool,

-- Never swallowing pool water,

-- Take children for frequent bathroom breaks, and

-- Don't swim when you have diarrhea.

A key to protection from waterborne illness is to stay aware of the signs that the pool or spa is not well maintained. CDC encourages swimmers to be proactive by asking about the water testing and treatment in local pools as well as following the tips for swimmers available at: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/pdf/pool_user_tips.pdf.

Chlorine is essential to healthy pools and healthy swimmers. ACC's Chlorine Chemistry Division is committed to its ongoing partnerships with CDC, the Water Quality & Health Council, and the National Consumers League to promote the health of pools and swimmers across the nation.

For more information visit: http://www.healthypools.org.

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) is committed to improving environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care(R), common sense advocacy, environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $635 billion enterprise and a key element of the U.S. economy. It is one of the nation's largest exporters, accounting for ten cents of every dollar in exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development, with their products improving the quality of life for all people through essential advances in public health, clean drinking water and new technologies.

The Chlorine Chemistry Division of the American Chemistry Council represents major producers and users of chlorine in the United States. The chlor-alkali industry contributes over $2 billion to the North American economy annually and helps provide thousands of essential products, including drinking water disinfectants, PVC pipe, 93 percent of all pharmaceuticals, 25 percent of all medical plastics and 86 percent of crop protection chemicals.
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