Swimming Pools
◊
Belgian scientists confirm: chlorine still preferred pool
disinfection agent
February 2013
When, mid-February 2013, a newspaper cited one of the Belgian
Ministers of Environment: "Chlorine should be banned from our
swimming pools", the scientific world reacted fiercely. The
Walloon regional Minister of Environment replied that he had been
quoted incorrectly. He admits that he is working on some new
legislation for swimming pool management but denies that it
comprises a ban on chlorine as pool disinfectant. What he meant was
that he "wishes" in the future swimming pools "would not use
chlorine anymore. Alternatives would be acceptable if they are
shown to be as effective as chlorine".
Immediately, the Belgian Superior Health Council, an esteemed
scientific advisory board for the federal government, repeated its
core statements on the use of chlorine in swimming pools:
- Chlorine is acknowledged as today's best pool disinfectant
agent
- Good pool management must keep chlorine exposure low and below
the limits
- Adequate ventilation must prevent the formed accumulation of
chloramines
- Swimmers' hygiene should be optimised by having a soapy shower
before swimming and by avoiding contamination by body
substances
- The long-term effects of alternative disinfection methods
should be carefully studied before putting them in place.
Contact: Marleen Pauwels, Science Manager, tel.
+32 2 67672 47. Ask your questions to Marleen via the Euro Chlor contact form.
◊ Swimming in chlorinated
swimming pools still highly recommended for children above the age
of 1
March 2012
"Babies (0-12 months): discouraged; swimming above 1
year: encouraged". This was the clear message of the Belgian
Superior Health Council when its chair, Prof. Kirsch-Volders,
presented the latest report (on 8 March 2012) on health risks
related to swimming in chlorinated pools.
Due to their hyper-reactive mucosa and
immature lungs, babies more easily catch infections. Swimming pools
constitute an environment with high water temperatures and a
combination of low-concentration disinfection by-products and
potential bacterial contamination. Therefore the Superior Health
Council considers that below the age of 1 year,
the risks for infection might not weigh up against the potential
benefits of the swimming exercise for that particular age
group.
Above the age of 1, however,
swimming in chlorinated pools is certainly recommended. About the
alleged link between swimming in chlorinated pools and asthma or
other adverse health effects, Prof. Kirsch-Volders states that
this has never been scientifically proven and she
emphasizes that chlorine still is the first choice
disinfectant, but that it needs to be combined with sound pool
management and clear hygienic
standards.
As the former Council's Report (see
below) did not focus on other health effects and on babies
below 1 year, the Minister of Public health requested a follow-up.
The appointed international expert group starts by emphasizing that
efficient disinfection of swimming pools is indispensable to avoid
infection by micro-organisms. To date, chlorine is considered most
adequate in performing this task.
High hygiene standards
crucial
A disadvantage however, as is the case with
all other disinfection methods, is that it reacts with biological
material such as sweat or urine and may form potentially harmful
by-products. These by-products are responsible for the typical
chlorine smell of the pool. Maintaining high hygiene standards
(showering with soap before going into the pool, washing hands
after toilet visits) in pools is crucial to avoid the formation of
these by-products.
That is why the Superior Health Council
emphasizes the importance of good pool management, not only
involving adequate ventilation, but also providing clean and easily
accessible shower and toilet facilities, diaper changing areas,
etc. The Council regrets the non-existence of such harmonized
standards and advocates a more severe inspection system with
regular water and air quality measurements. The experts advise
installing these measures at the national, but also at the
international level.
Euro Chlor welcomes the Superior
Health Council's report and shares its views on the issue.
Euro Chlor actively contributes to develop the science on possible
impacts and best practices of disinfection
by-products.
Read here the
new full Health Council's report on this matter (In English,
PDF document)
◊
Relationship between swimming pool attendance and childhood asthma
not confirmed
February 2011
The Belgian Superior Health Council recently issued its
scientific opinion on papers published by a team of Belgian
researchers (Bernard et al.) linking the attendance of chlorinated
swimming pools to some respiratory risks, mainly to asthma. The
conclusion was that the papers did not provide sufficient evidence
to make this link.
The Health Council, upon request of the
Belgian Minister of Public Health, reexamined the full set of
publications done by a Belgian research team. The experts
identified many flaws in the performed study descriptions and noted
that the obtained results were not confirmed by other
researchers.
In reaction to the publications issued by the
Belgian team since 2002, Euro Chlor and the World
Chlorine Council (WCC) have organized several international
scientific workshops specifically dealing with the safe use of
chlorine in swimming pools. Another aim was to identify the key
issues as well as the major data gaps and research priorities in
the field. The associations came to the same overall conclusion as
the Superior Health Council: the Bernard et al. papers did not
provide sufficient evidence to link chlorinated swimming pools with
asthma.
Nevertheless, the Belgian expert group stated
that, although this relationship between swimming pool attendance
and childhood asthma had not been confirmed, it could not yet be
excluded.
As this official document was prepared by
neutral and renowned scientific experts in the fields of
pneumology, toxicology and child pneumology, it was considered of
high value by the Euro Chlor Health WG. Only being available
in French and Dutch, the Recommendations' section was translated
into English for wider use.
Read here the English translation of the Council's
recommendations (PDF document)
Lees hier het
oorspronkelijke rapport in het Nederlands (PDF document)
Lisez ici le rapport
initial en français (document PDF)
Euro Chlor follow up -
Publications
The Euro Chlor Health WG will continue to
closely follow up the chlorinated swimming pool issue. For 2012, a
meta-analysis on health effects from swimming in adults and
children was commissioned to the University of Utrecht (WCC
project) and the compilation of a new Science Dossier on the health
effects of disinfection by-products is
foreseen.
Read the Euro Chlor FOCS publication (2009) on Chlorinated swimming
pools and respiratory health.
Contact:
Marleen Pauwels, Science Manager, tel. +32 2
676 72 47. Ask your questions to Marleen via the Euro Chlor contact
form.
02/2013
