Duller Times for bleaching chemicals peroxide and chlorate growth slows

摘要

Producers of bleaching chemicals say demand plummeted in 2001 after spectacular growth the previous year. Conversion of paper mills to elemental chlorine free (ECF) bleaching-which drove the growth of sodium chlorate, and to a lesser extent hydrogen peroxide (H_2O_2)-was completed last April. Producers blame the demand decline to a slowdown in the pulp and paper industry, which accounts for the bul of sodium chlorate and H_2O_2 demand.