*Update: Fortunately, it does not appear that this factory fire has resulted in any major chlorine loss and will not contribute to the expected ongoing chlorine shortage in 2022. Our latest blog on the status of the national chlorine supply crisis can be Read Here. 

Just like the chlorine shortage in 2021, you may want to again consider purchasing your pool’s chlorine tabs sooner rather than later.

On Friday evening, January 14th, 2022 around 9 PM, a massive fire broke out at a pool chemical plant located in Passaic, New Jersey. Bright orange flames and thick black smoke could be seen for miles. When it was all said and done, approximately 100,000 pounds of finished chlorine tablets were gone. It is not yet known how much this will affect the pool chemical industry or the upcoming northeast summer season.

Thanks to the efforts of local crews, the fire did not make it into the main 100,000 square foot facility. This chemical plant on an average day holds as much as 3 million pounds of potentially hazardous materials. If the fire had made it to that part of the building, the results would have been catastrophic.

The amazing work of the firefighters helped to control the 11-alarm blaze and kept it away from the majority of the factory and chemical storage. Thankfully, the part of the warehouse that was lost was mostly being used to store plastics and pallets. This averted a major disaster and kept many different chemicals from burning and escaping into the air.

Qualco Inc. makes pool treatment supplies ranging from bleaching agents to industrial disinfectants. The fire actually started in Majestic Industries’ neighboring warehouse and spread to the adjoining building used by Qualco Inc. Majestic Industries manufactures gaming and hospitality furniture for casinos and bingo halls.

The area of the city where the fire took place is industrial in nature but is also very near residences and neighborhoods. The town of Passaic is only 3.2 square miles in total but has a population of 70,000 people. These numbers make Passaic one of the most densely populated cities in the entire country. Mass evacuations would have been very difficult if the fire had successfully reached the main part of the chemical plant. No specific cause of the fire has been announced as of yet and the investigation is ongoing.

Where Does This Latest Fire and Product Loss Leave the Pool Industry?

The past couple of pool seasons have been  negatively impacted by several major events.

First and foremost, the pandemic has forced more people to stay at home and in turn, use their pools more. This has caused an increased need for chemicals resulting in  supply shortages, product allotments, and large price increases have all impacted both the pool & spa industry in a negative way.

Also, a  deep freeze in the state of Texas in February 2021 caused a major and unexpected need for replacement equipment which was also the main cause of resin and fiberglass shortages for all industries and verticals.

Unfortunately, this is also the second pool chemical factory fire in less than 18 months in the United States. The first one occurred in  August of 2020 in Louisiana during Hurricane Laura. This fire occurred at a KIK custom product plant that manufactured BioGuard pool chemicals. As a result of this fire, somewhere around 40% of the entire nation’s chlorine tab supply was lost. It had a ripple effect through all of the 2021 pool season with mass shortages and large price increases.

While it remains to be seen if the loss of 100,000 pounds of chlorine will have an impact on the 2022 chlorine supply, it would definitely be a good thing to stock up and  purchase your chlorine tabs now. Other options would include chlorine alternatives such as salt chlorination systems, UV light, Ozone, enzymes, minerals, and other specialty sanitizers.

Chlorine Tablets Remain In-Stock at EZ Pool & Spa Supply!

OnGuard 1” Maxi-Clor chlorine tablets are the perfect way to disinfect your pool water! These tablets work to maintain healthy water in all pool shapes and sizes while getting rid of mineral scale buildup. Offering a slow-release formula and sun protection like no other, these tablets work 24 hours a day. This very convenient product is available in either,  1.5 lb. bottles, 5 lb. bottles or 10 lb. buckets for easy and effective sanitizing.

Keep family and friends entertained in a safe pool environment and go with OnGuard, a trusted name in pool chemicals. Looking for more information? See our OnGuard Product Blog Here. OnGuard is also a great alternative to Kem-Tek Tablets.  Read our Product Comparison Blog.

Our team at EZ Pool & Spa Supply will monitor this developing situation and keep you posted about any additional impact that this chlorine loss may have within the industry and going into 2022. We would be happy to help with any chlorine or chlorine alternative questions you may have. Contact Us Here.

Sources:

• NorthJersey.com
• USAToday.com