CEH Report

Table of Contents

Abstract

Chlorinated isocyanurates are chlorine-containing derivatives of isocyanuric acid and are used as sanitizing, disinfecting and bleaching agents. Major end-use applications are in swimming pool sanitizers, machine dishwashing detergents, bleaches and scouring cleaners. The three commercially useful chlorinated isocyanurates are trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA), sodium dichloroisocyanurate (anhydrous) and dihydrate (SDCC). TCCA has limited solubility in water and is used mainly as a controlled-release sanitizer for swimming pools. Sodium dichloroisocyanurates are much more soluble and are used mainly as primary sanitizers and shock treatments for swimming pools and as bleaching agents and stain removers in powdered dishwasher detergent formulations. Production of trichloroisocyanurate dominates, accounting for about two-thirds of the total.

The following pie chart shows world consumption of chlorinated isocyanurates:

The global supply/demand situation started changing in 2002 when China began exporting sizable quantities of chlorinated isocyanurates. In the last few years, antidumping actions were imposed in the United States, the European Union and Mexico against Chinese exporters.

The other major chlorinated isocyanurate consuming regions include the Asia Pacific region, Eastern Europe, Canada, Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean region.

The U.S. market for chlorinated isocyanurates is by far the largest in the world, accounting for well over 50% of global demand. Swimming pool applications account for about 95% of total demand. Most use in swimming pools is by private pool owners, as municipal pools tend to use competing sanitizing liquids that are easier to dispense. Consumption in the residential pool market grew strongly from 2001 to 2005 because of increasing swimming pool and spa construction resulting from the strong new housing market. Also, owners of existing homes have tended to add upgrades such as swimming pools and spas to their property because of low interest rates and a tendency of families to spend vacations at home rather than traveling.