November 3, 2009 — The Clorox Co. is eliminating chlorine from its namesake bleach so it can stop transporting chlorine to U.S. factories by rail amid growing safety concerns and regulatory scrutiny, according to several sources, including the Associated Press (AP).

Clorox said it plans to switch to high-strength bleach with a higher concentration of sodium hypochlorite instead of buying chlorine and making bleach on site, with the goal of totally eliminating chlorine from the U.S. supply change.

Clorox will start the transition at its Fairfield, CA, plant, where it is expected to take six months to complete. The change will be made at its six other U.S. factories over the following few years, AP said.

Clorox did not disclose how much it would cost to make the changes, and "while the bleach-making process will change, the end products will not, and consumers won't notice a difference in quality, smell or color," AP said, quoting a Clorox spokesperson, who also said transporting certain chemicals, including chlorine, especially by rail, could get harder as regulators scrutinize the issue so changing now could save money and problems later on.

Environmental watchdog Greenpeace applauded the company's decision, AP said.

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