Transportation Overview
As part of its core mission, The Chlorine Institute (CI or The Institute) is focused on supporting the chlor-alkali industry and serving the public by fostering continuous improvements to safety and security in an effort to protect human health and the environment as it relates to the distribution of chlorine, sodium and potassium hydroxides, sodium hypochlorite, hydrochloric acid, anhydrous hydrogen chloride and vinyl chloride (otherwise known as CI mission chemicals).
CI has a transportation committee, the Transportation Issue Team, which is made up of representatives from member companies that have a role in transporting these products by the various modes. The Transportation Issue Team was established to develop and implement strategies in order to achieve the long-term goals of maintaining the ability to transport CI mission chemicals in a safe and secure manner and eliminate transportation releases. Activities specifically relate to fostering the development of industry best practices, voluntary programs, equipment design and regulations as they relate to the distribution of CI mission chemicals. CI promotes the use of sound science and risk-based analysis connected with changes relevant to these efforts.
The Institute has a prominent focus on the transportation of chlorine by rail. Chlorine is an essential product throughout the U.S. economy in all regions, including public water utilities in both rural and urban areas. This creates a complex national rail network between producers and end-users. Therefore, CI must put forth significant effort to ensure that the continuous ability to transport chlorine by rail is not compromised. The Institute cooperates with various groups that all have the same primary goal - continuing safe transportation of hazardous materials by rail. CI provides timely recommendations, related to equipment design and handling practices, as well as issues with rail carrier services, to the U.S. transportation-focused government agencies, namely the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) under the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). CI also works closely with other representatives in the hazardous materials transportation community, such as the railroad carriers, industry suppliers and various shipper associations, in efforts to enhance safety relevant to tank car and equipment design and handling practices.
The Institute and the chlor-alkali industry are committed to a process of continuous improvement to enhance our already strong safety record.