Eco-Friendly Pool Chemicals

Maintaining a pool requires using various chemicals to keep the water clean and pH levels stable. Although chemicals like chlorine remove bacteria and keep pools sanitized, they can be harsh and dangerous to the environment. Eco-friendly pool chemicals are safer alternatives that have less drastic effects on our surroundings.

Mineral Sanitizers

• Mineral sanitizers produce metallic ions, such as copper and zinc, to sanitize pool water. Copper ions kill algae, and zinc ions attack bacteria. The ions are emitted in low concentration levels to provide consistent safe pool maintenance and to prevent pool wall staining or water discoloration. In conjunction with low levels of chlorine, ion-based systems rid pools of contaminants via a lower level of harmful chemicals.

Ozone Pool Cleaners

• Some pool systems are designed to emit ozone into the water to kill contaminants. Ozone is produced through the use of ultraviolet light and emitted into pool water through special jets. Ozone dissolves in the water and removes any contaminants floating in it. Ozone systems do not eliminate the need for chlorine, but do reduce the amount needed.

Ultraviolet Pool Cleaners

• Some eco-friendly pool cleaning systems use ultraviolet light to dissolve contamination particles in pool water. When UV rays pass through microorganisms, they destroy them, causing a reduction of the microbial population in pool water. UV rays do not remove 100 percent of contaminants, but they do decrease the required amount of bromine, chlorine and other pool chemicals.

Advantages

• Pool chemicals, such as chlorine and bromine, evaporate into the air and mix with soil, causing many environmental problems such as air pollution and land contamination. Health problems, such as respiratory failure and allergies, are also caused by pool chemical toxins. Using eco-friendly pool chemicals reduces the amount of harmful chemicals that enter the environment and limits human exposure to toxins.