Euro Chlor


Euro Chlor is the association of chloralkali plant operators in Europe, its members representing 97% of European chlorine and sodium hydroxide production capacity. Its main activities are lobbying for the industry and collaboration with respect to production methods, safety and environmental protection. Euro Chlor is a sector group of European Chemical Industry Council and a member of World Chlorine Council.
Euro Chlor represents 39 producers which operate at 58 manufacturing locations in 19 European countries. Four product groups are part of Euro Chlor: European Chlorinated Solvents Association, Chlorinated Alkane Product Group, Potassium Product Group and Sodium Chlorate Product Group.

History

Euro Chlor was established in 1989. The immediate motivation for its creation was an anti-chlorine campaign lead by Greenpeace, which was seen as threatening the industry. The campaigners were seeking to ban specific uses of chlorine or the chlorine industry as a whole, citing health and environmental hazards of chlorine and chlorine compounds. Euro Chlor was meant to provide counterbalance viewpoint to government regulators and the public.
In 1991 the European Chlorine Derivatives Council, European Chlorinated Solvents Association and Chlorinated Paraffins Sector Group merged with Euro Chlor, creating the Euro Chlor Federation. In 2018 Sodium Chlorate Product Group joined Euro Chlor.
Euro Chlor's direct predecessor with respect to technical activities was Bureau International du Chlore, established in 1953. Its activities were focused on gathering industry statistics and collaboration with respect to manufacturing technology, workplace safety and environmental protection. In 1972 BITC established the Working Group on Production, Storage and Transport safety, which publishes technical recommendations.