The Secret Life Series - Learn More about the Secret Life of Paper - from INFORM, Inc. What is harmful about the chlorine compounds used in bleaching pulp for papermaking?
Chlorine compounds are rated among the most hazardous industrial chemicals in large volume use, affecting both human health and the environment.
[5] By themselves, they have been classified as suspected toxicants to the respiratory and reproductive systems as well as to developmental processes. Their use in the pulp bleaching process also results in the creation of harmful byproducts called “organochlorines,” which include dioxins and dioxin-like compounds.
[6] These substances are known to cause cancer and are suspected of causing developmental, reproductive, and immune system damage.
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