bleach and cancer

[Scoots]

I went to a pool store for something and mentioned that I use bleach in my pool. The owner almost went into a rage and told me that bleach causes cancer and that he definitely would not let his children swim in my pool. He even said I could talk to his friend who worked at the local university in the environmental department to confirm this "fact".

Of course, I ignored him. But in the back of my mind it has always bothered me a little. Is there any basis to his statement?

thanks

[CarlD]

Here are some of PoolDoc's answers from PoolSolutions.com:

http://www.poolsolutions.com/tips/tip09.html

http://www.poolsolutions.com/tips/tip70.html

Notice that there is a small, but real danger to chlorine. However, the danger from NO chlorine is far, far greater. 180 cancer patients in Peru were prevented by removing chlorine from drinking water--but 4,000 deaths from water-borne diseases were created!

Notice also that chlorine is chlorine. Pool stores sell bleach every single day, packaged as "Liquid chlorine" or "Liquid Shock". The first is 6% Sodium Hypochorite--same as ultra bleach. The latter is 10% of 12.5% Sodium Hypochlorite--about twice as strong, but the same stuff again. They just don't want you buying bleach from the grocery store or CostCo instead of buying your chlorination chem from them. If they don't sell 100 $100 buckets of chlorine because those 100 buyers have switched to bleach, they've lost $10,000 in gross revenue.

[Watermom]

What about the containers of 10% pool store chlorine which is sodium hypochlorite? Bleach is 6% sodium hypochlorite. What does he say to that?

[cleancloths]

Plain and simple - the owner is an idiot!

Everything in large enough quantities causes some health ailment. Chlorine has been used for centuries and is one of the base building blocks of modern life. If chlorine causes cancer we all better stop drinking water.

[rmeden]

The sad thing is people go into his store every day asking for advice...

Next time your there, give him this link warning about Dihydrogen Monixide Levels in pools.

http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html

Maybe he'll pass it on and his clientel will realize the value of his advice.



Robert

[Sherra]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but is that a parody site?
Dihydrogen = H2
Minoxide = O

[waterbear]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but is that a parody site?
Dihydrogen = H2
Minoxide = O

Give this man a cigar!. One of the BEST parody sights I have ever seen. It's acutally based on scientific facts!

[mwsmith2]

Yeah. My tap water is 1.5 ppm Cl. OMG, i better stop drinking water so I don't die. *eyeroll*

Michael

[waterbear]

Yeah. My tap water is 1.5 ppm Cl. OMG, i better stop drinking water so I don't die. *eyeroll*

Michael

More likely 1.5 ppm monochloramine. Most water treatment companies are adding ammonia along with the chlorine these days to prevent the formation of chloroform!

Pour me a shot of CC also!

[PoolDoc]

I went to a pool store for something and mentioned that I use bleach in my pool. The owner almost went into a rage and told me that bleach causes cancer and that he definitely would not let his children swim in my pool. He even said I could talk to his friend who worked at the local university in the environmental department to confirm this "fact".

A not uncommon reaction -- over the years, I've heard accounts of pool dealers going ballistic, of claims of bleach 'melting' liners or pipes, of poison gases coming from the pool (but not the washing machine!), and so on. The bottom line is simple: bleach hurts pool dealer profits!

The claims of some unspecified expert is not uncommon, either. Of course the article / expert / book is never immediately available.

Since you've already P.O.d your dealer*, why don't you ask him for name and number of the expert, and PM me with that info. I'll call him / her, and report back.

Ben

* For the past few years, I have ALWAYS recommended that PoolForum / PoolSolutions users NOT mention that info, or the methods taught here, to their dealer. You may not need chemicals from your dealer, but you will need parts and other odds and ends over the years. It's much easier to get good service from someone who doesn't foam at the mouth when you enter their store. Odds are "Scoots" is now going to need to find a new dealer.