Did you know your community might be at risk of a chlorine disaster?
There are hundreds of tons of chlorine produced, stored, and transported in your community.
Due to the dangers involved, Chemtrade’s permission to produce chlorine is set to expire in 2030, but they are lobbying government to overturn that decision, putting the community at future risk.
We don’t want to see Chemtrade close the facility completely, we want them to stop putting their shareholders profits over the safety of your community.
Let your local officials know that you want Chemtrade to stick to their original agreement and cease the production and transportation of chlorine as scheduled in 2030.
EMAIL NOW TO KEEP YOUR COMMUNITY SAFE!
THE ISSUE
The handling and transportation of chlorine—a substance with potentially catastrophic consequences—pose serious risks to the community. With Chemtrade’s lease set to expire soon, they have been lobbying the District of North Vancouver to remove the 2030 covenant that was in place to protect the North Shore. This is a critical opportunity for residents to voice their concerns and ensure the safety of their community.
Chemtrade is working OVERTIME to influence the District of North Vancouver to renew their lease. Together, we can stop their hazardous operations and ensure the safety of your community.
Risks
Lacklustre Controls for Chlorine Exposure: Current safety protocols and measures may not sufficiently mitigate the risks of catastrophic chlorine exposure to the community.
Respiratory Issues: The production and potential release of chlorine, even in controlled environments, poses significant risks. In gas form, chlorine is highly toxic, capable of causing severe respiratory issues within a wide radius, extending up to 24 kilometres from the release site.
Environmental Impact: Chlorine combines with organic materials in water to form harmful chemicals that can pollute rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Overrun Services: Even areas outside of the high impact zone can experience panic. This can lead to injuries, flooding of phone lines, and overwhelming hospitals.
Long-Lasting Effects: Beyond the immediate physical dangers, an accidental leak could have long-lasting effects on local economic activities and the overall quality of life in North Vancouver.
Imposing hazardous chemical practices within the area will compromise public safety and environmental integrity. We're calling on the local Councillors in the District of North Vancouver to ensure the well-being and future of your community and not allow Chemtrade to overturn a decision made to protect us.
Send them a message to let them know that chlorine production in your community IS NOT WORTH THE RISK.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Take Action
Action is essential to translate concern into change. This is best achieved by voicing your opinions and supporting these efforts to implement safer alternatives and stricter safety regulations. Use our above form to send a personalized message to your local councillor expressing your concerns about the handling and transportation of chlorine in your backyard and say NO to Chemtrade lease renewal. This direct approach serves as a vital link between the community’s concerns and the decision-makers who can influence the outcome.
Engage and Educate
One of the best things you can do is to learn about the risks of chlorine operations and talk about it with others. Knowing details about how chlorine is made, stored, and moved helps you explain the risks to friends, family, and neighbors. The more people know, the stronger the community's voice becomes in pushing for changes that make everyone safer.
Demand Accountability
We must hold those in power accountable for the safety of your community. Demand immediate action from our local representatives to prevent the renewal of Chemtrade's lease and the continuation of chlorine production. Show up at town hall meetings, sign petitions, and make your voice heard through social media. Let our leaders know that we will not stand for hazardous chemicals endangering our families and environment.
“I think that these areas are hazardous … people ought to be aware,”
John Clague
Professor and former director of Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Natural Hazards Research (North Shore News)
Chemtrade will tell you that their plant is integral to water treatment efforts in the region, but they aren’t telling you the whole truth:
Although the term chlorine and bleach (or sodium hypochlorite) are often used interchangeably, chlorine is rarely used directly for water treatment. It is typically converted from chlorine gas to liquid sodium hypochlorite (bleach), which is the most common disinfectant used for water treatment.
Chemtrade produces chlorine, but it does not produce bleach.
CHEMTRADE COULD EASILY INSTALL A LOW COST, AND MUCH SAFER, BLEACH PRODUCTION SYSTEM AND MAKE BLEACH FOR ITS WATER TREATMENT CUSTOMERS.
Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) is available from Canada and the US by truck or railcar.
Chemtrade has a nameplate capacity of 244,000 short tons of chlorine gas per year.
They produce approximately 200,000 short tons per year (82% of capacity).
75,000 tons (chlorine gas) are converted to hydrochloric acid (HCl), mainly for the oil & gas industry.
40% of this HCl is exported to the US due to lack of demand in western Canada.
Of the remaining 125,000 ton of chlorine, the majority is shipped to the US as a liquid in railcars due to the lack of chlorine demand in western Canada.
Total North American chlorine capacity is 17M short tons.
Chemtrade Vancouver produces 1% of total capacity.
North America is a net exporter of chlorine derivatives, which means there is far from enough demand to consume North American supply.
About K2 Pure Solutions
Our mission at K2 Pure Solutions is to manufacture products essential to modern life through environmentally sustainable and Inherently Safe Technology.
K2 Pure Solutions helps provide an answer to eliminating the need to transport chlorine for water purification and disinfection, as well as other industries, by deploying and funding state-of-the-art facilities utilizing inherently safe technology. K2’s facilities mitigate the potential environmental, security and public safety risks associated with the transport of chlorine for water treatment and other industries by producing exceptionally pure bleach, caustic soda and other chlor-alkali related products using only salt, water and electricity in the most economically viable manner.