Excellent sources from governmental agencys and U of M's Department of Molecular.
Environmental impact
A Risk Assessment Report (RAR) conducted by the European Union on sodium hypochlorite conducted under Regulation EEC 793/93 concluded that this substance is safe for the environment in all its current, normal uses.[5] This is owed to its high reactivity and instability. Disappearance of hypochlorite is practically immediate in the natural aquatic environment, reaching in a short time concentration as low as 10-22 μg/L or less in all emission scenarios. In addition, it was found that while volatile chlorine species may be relevant in some indoor scenarios, they have negligible impact in open environmental conditions. Further, the role of hypochlorite pollution is assumed as negligible in soils.
Under conditions where sodium hypochlorite is improperly introduced to confined bodies of water (e.g., ponds, aquaria), bleach is toxic to fish and invertebrates. In confined spaces, fish will attempt to swim away from the source; in unconfined spaces, fish will readily escape the hazard.
The broad-spectrum effectiveness of bleach, particularly sodium hypochlorite, owes to the nature of its chemical reactivity with microbes. Rather than acting in an inhibitory or toxic fashion in the manner of antibiotics, bleach quickly reacts with microbial cells to irreversibly denature and destroy many pathogens. Bleach, particularly sodium hypochlorite has been shown to react with a microbe's heat shock proteins, stimulating their role as intra-cellular chaperone and causing the bacteria to form into clumps (much like an egg that has been boiled) that will eventually die off.[18] In some cases, bleach's base acidity compromises a bacterium's lipid membrane, a reaction similar to popping a balloon. The range of micro-organisms effectively killed by bleach (particularly sodium hypochlorite) is extensive, making it an extremely versatile disinfectant. The authors found that at low (micromolar) sodium hypochlorite levels, E. coli appear to be able to develop a defense mechanism that helps protect the bacterium, though the implications of this defense mechanism have not been fully investigated.[18]
Aaron, I just think it is important for the public to understand Sh is not a dirty word, it is in so many facets of everyday life people just don't understand the value in the products of Mother Nature and what some things do to enhance our longevity. At one point they banned Chlorine as an additive in the water supply in Peru and suffered from outbreaks of Cholera. SH is a great contribution to society. Many of us would not be here if it had not been added to water supplies, back in the early 1900's. I learned some from going back to college, (enviro science and others) it has peaked my interest to research more, and the stigma behind the dirty word "SH" or chlorine. Sorry for long winded response, guess a yes or no would have sufficed.. lol
Kim R
A World Without Chlorine Case Study: Peru
A recent example of the continuing public health threat from waterborne disease outbreaks occurred in Peru in 1991, where a major causative factor was the absence or inadequacy of drinking water disinfection.
The result: a five-year epidemic of cholera, its first appearance in the Americas in this century. The epidemic spread to 19 Latin American countries and has been only partially abated through public health interventions and technical assistance. More than a million cases and 12,000 deaths have been reported.