Chlorine
A century after its first-ever use, the original chemical weapon has made a comeback
It’s been exactly 100 years since the world saw the first deadly attack with chemical weapons. The Germans deployed tons of chlorine gas on a sector of the Western front in World War I, causing 6,000 casualties. Now chlorine gas is back on the battlefield, in Syria.
Chlorine’s Costs and Controversies
David Baron of member station WBUR reports on the growing call for a near-complete ban on the use of chlorinated chemicals. Scientists say that many chlorine compounds are a central cause of environmental pollution in the Great Lakes region and elsewhere, affecting, fish, waterfowl and possibly people. A US-Canada commission which oversees the Lakes has […]