Why is there a chlorine shortage?

Following a national toilet paper shortage, it seems that chlorine is next in line to be flying off the shelves.

As summer 2021 is underway, pool owners have been experiencing a chlorine shortage, leading to concerns over how people will sanitize and clean their pools.

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What's with the national chlorine shortage?

According to the New York Times:

"A fire at a chemical plant and a pandemic-driven boom in the construction of backyard pools are the causes of a nationwide shortage of chlorine tablets, experts say. Panic buying could make it worse.

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The first cause, was a fire in August 2020, at a chlorine plant just outside Lake Charles, Louisiana, responsible for making a bulk of the U.S.’s chlorine tablets, burned down in the wake of Hurricane Laura, putting a huge dent in the production of chlorine tablets. The plant is set to reopen in 2022, but in the meantime there are just two domestic manufacturers of chlorine tablets for pools. Experts say the chlorine shortage will cause empty shelves in stores and extreme markups, which, because of the seasonal nature of pool usage, is about to come as a rude awakening to many pool owners. The financial services company IHS Markit says chlorine prices are expected to spike 70 percent this summer, compared to 2020.

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The second is, you guessed it, Covid-19. Over the last year, sales for swimming pools skyrocketed as people all over the country were forced to stay at home during the pandemic, leading to an increased demand for prepared chlorine products.

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"Estimates suggest that 96,000 were built in the United States in 2020, a 23 percent increase over the previous year, according to Goldman Sachs released last month. The report, which is based on a survey of regional pool retailers, estimated that 110,000 new pools would be built this year, the most “in a single year since the Great Recession.”

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So, what to do about the Chlorine Shortage?

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Now is the time to consider whether the Aquastaser is the right fit for your pool system. Remember the Aquastaser is the only system that is designed to keep your pool clean and healthy without the use of chlorine and additional chemicals.