Chlorine Dioxide Market

Market Overview

The global chlorine dioxide market size was worth USD 989.32 million in 2022 and is valued at USD 1021 million in 2023. It is projected to reach USD 1675.34 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period (2022-2030). The global chlorine dioxide market is majorly boosted by a surge in demand from the industrial sector for wastewater treatment. The rapid growth in water usage in various industrial sectors such as oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals is likely to drive the market's growth. Environmental concerns coupled with stringent government regulations regarding industrial wastewater are the primary factors increasing the demand for chlorine dioxide. Furthermore, the need for chlorine dioxide is anticipated to surge significantly in the food & beverage industry due to the global demand for processed food.

Chlorine dioxide is a chemical compound that exists as bright orange crystals below −59 °C. It is an oxidizing agent, able to transfer oxygen to various substrates while gaining one or more electrons via oxidation-reduction (redox).

Market Dynamics

Drivers: The Rise in Demand for Safe Drinking Water

Rapid urbanization across developing economies such as China, India, and Brazil has led to a surge in demand for safe drinking water. In addition, government initiatives such as the "Jal Jeevan Mission" launched by the Government of India are expected to surge the demand for chlorine dioxide to purify and provide safe drinking water to the urban and rural people. In addition, the surge in the rate of waterborne diseases across the globe, especially in developing countries, due to growing pollution in natural water resources owing to the dispersion of industrial waste in these resources has led to a surge in demand for chlorine dioxide to treat the water and make it safer for drinking purpose.

Drivers: Rapid Growth in the Food and Beverage Industry

Due to rapid industrialization and fast-paced life across both developed and developing countries, the demand for ready-to-eat and fast food across the globe has surged considerably. Due to this, the need for chlorine dioxide across the food & beverage industry has increased significantly to be used as an antimicrobial agent in water for washing fruits and vegetables or poultry processing. In addition, the unique property of chlorine dioxide, which enables it to be highly effective without affecting taste, makes it a preferred choice for multiple applications in the food processing industry. Therefore, the demand for chlorine dioxide across the food & beverage industry will likely surge during the forecast period.

Restraint: Fire and Explosion Hazards

Chlorine dioxide is highly reactive and flammable and can lead to dangerous fire and explosion hazards. May explode on heating or exposure to sunlight or shock or if subjected to sparks. The substance is a strong oxidant. It reacts with combustible and reducing materials. Reacts violently with organics, phosphorus, potassium hydroxide, and sulfur. This generates fire and explosion hazards. This is anticipated to restrain the global carbon dioxide demand during the forecast period.

Opportunities: Growing Regulatory Restrictions on the Usage of Chlorine and Hypochlorite in Pulp Bleaching

The vast volumes of soluble organochlorine chemicals created and released into the environment are the principal objections to the use of chlorine for bleaching pulp from an environmental safety standpoint. Organochlorine compounds exert many toxic effects on human health, such as hormone-related conditions (endometriosis, infertility), cancer of the male and female reproductive system, developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and immunotoxicity. Therefore, the demand for chlorine dioxide as a bleaching agent across the paper & pulp industry has surged significantly as its usage minimizes the production of organochlorine compounds. This will likely provide lucrative growth opportunities for chlorine dioxide producers across the globe in the coming years.

Regional Analysis

Region-wise, the global chlorine dioxide market share is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

Asia-Pacific is the dominant and fastest-growing region. It is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period. It consists of China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, and the Rest of Asia-Pacific. The rest of Asia-Pacific mainly includes Asian countries such as Vietnam and Malaysia. Countries in Asia-Pacific, such as India, Japan, and China, have an advanced economy based on a robust manufacturing presence, consisting of paper & pulp, automotive, oil & gas, and petrochemicals. This is conducive to the growth of the chlorine dioxide market in the region.

China accounts for a significant share of the Asia-Pacific chlorine dioxide market, owing to the high demand from its end-user industries. The chlorine dioxide market in China is driven by numerous factors such as an increase in demand for industrial wastewater treatment solutions, adverse climatic conditions, and reduced freshwater content from saline intrusion. China is a fast-growing economy with end-user industries such as power, chemical, mining, and food processing.

All these industries require water either as an input or give out wastewater as a byproduct; hence, both intake and output water need to be processed through chemical treatment. For example, most electric power generation plants require water for their day-to-day operations as input. China's power generation has been growing significantly, owing to an increase in demand for power and a rise in investment in new electric power projects. Hence, owing to the abovementioned factors, China is expected to dominate the Asia-Pacific chlorine dioxide market during the forecast period.

North America is the second-largest market. It is estimated to reach an expected value of USD 375 million by 2030 at a CAGR of 5.7% by 2030. It is studied across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. North America is the dominant market with critical macroeconomic indicators, such as high per capita income, manufacturing output, and supporting market growth. Stringent regulatory requirements to control wastewater disposal from both industrial sources and growing demand from the oil & gas industry in the U.S. are the major factors driving the growth of the chlorine dioxide market. The U.S. currently accounts for the highest share of the North American chlorine dioxide market.

A resurgence in the manufacturing sector in the country is creating massive demand for industrial water treatment, given the increasing need for water conservation and stringent environmental regulations. This, in turn, has increased the need for water treatment operations, thereby driving the chlorine dioxide market.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, electric power generators are the largest source of U.S. water withdrawals and account for around 40% of total water withdrawals in the U.S. The wastewater released from the electricity generation process contains significant levels of toxic metal impurities, such as lead, mercury, arsenic, chromium, and cadmium. The power generation in the country is expected to grow significantly and is estimated to reach 106.55 quadrillion British thermal units by 2050. This growth is expected to drive the demand for chlorine dioxide in the country. These factors are likely to drive the development of the chlorine dioxide market across North America.

Europe is the third-largest region. The presence of a well-established automotive sector in Europe, which is among the leaders in the global automotive industry, is expected to increase the requirement for biocides, thereby driving the chlorine dioxide market share. The product finds extensive usage in various automotive components and materials such as adhesive tapes, wooden luggage decks, wood inserts in interior parts, and treated textile materials in vehicle interiors such as gear shift knobs, steering wheel covers & wheel covers. The regional automotive sector is witnessing the adoption of innovative technologies such as automotive vehicles and individual mobility, which boost the chlorine dioxide market sales. The automotive industry is constantly focused on sustainable operations, which involve reducing the consumption of water & energy, thereby necessitating water reuse which represents ample growth opportunities for chlorine dioxide.

Segmental Analysis

The global chlorine dioxide market size is segmented based on form, application and end-use industry region.

Based on application, the global chlorine dioxide market is divided into Municipal Water Treatment, Industrial Water Treatment, Swimming Pool Water Treatment, and Wastewater Treatment. The industrial water treatment segment was the highest contributor to the market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.8% during the forecast period.

Rapid industrialization across developing economies such as China, India, and Brazil has led to the set up of various manufacturing units, owing to which water usage has surged significantly. In manufacturing industries, water is converted to acceptable use levels and discharged out of the factories. An increase in water usage in the manufacturing industry is expected to enhance the demand for chlorine dioxide for wastewater treatment. In addition, significant sources of freshwater such as rivers, lakes, wells, and municipal water systems are polluted to a great extent. This has resulted in increased occurrence of cancer, liver damage, and other serious infections. Rising environmental concerns and concerns related to the health of people close to industrial areas have led to the implementation of strict government rules and regulations across the globe. This is likely to drive the growth of the chlorine dioxide market during the forecast period.

Based on End-use industry, the pulp & paper processing segment is anticipated to be the fastest-growing segment. Due to the surge in demand for paper from commercial and industrial sectors across the globe, the paper & pulp industry has grown significantly in recent years. Therefore, this industry's demand for chlorine dioxide as a bleaching agent has also considerably surged.

Previously, chlorine was widely used as a bleaching agent in the paper and pulp industry, but due to its adverse environmental effects as it produces large amounts of soluble organochlorine compounds, which have many toxic effects on human health, such as hormone-related conditions (endometriosis, infertility), cancer of male and female reproductive system, developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and immunotoxicity has led to a decline in its usage. This drives the demand for chlorine dioxide as a bleaching agent across the paper & pulp industry. Its use minimizes the production of organochlorine compounds and is anticipated to provide lucrative growth opportunities for chlorine dioxide producers across the globe in the coming years.

The food & beverage industry is also anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period. Chlorine dioxide works as a bactericide, fungicide, and antimicrobial agent, eliminating pathogens from the water and the surface of washed produce. It is effective as a disinfectant across a wide range of water pH values. This means it's suited to the closed-loop systems commonly used by the food and drinks industry. When it reacts with bioorganisms, there is no resultant taint or odor – again crucial when washing meat, poultry, fish, or produce. Rapid industrialization and fast pace life across both developed and developing countries drive the demand for ready-to-eat and fast food across the globe. Therefore, the need for chlorine dioxide across the food & beverage industry has increased significantly to be utilized as an antimicrobial agent in water for washing fruits and vegetables or poultry processing. In addition, the unique property of chlorine dioxide, which enables it to be highly effective without affecting taste, makes it a preferred choice for multiple applications in the food processing industry. This drives the demand for chlorine dioxide across the food & beverage industry during the forecast period.

Recent Developments

• June 2022 - Evoqua Water Technologies, a leader in mission-critical water treatment solutions, recently celebrated opening a new manufacturing facility in Singapore, expanding the company's investment in Asia-Pacific (APAC) as demand for innovative water treatment solutions continues to grow in the region.
• February 2022 – Evoqua Water Technologies, a leader in mission-critical water treatment solutions, announced that it had activated the sustainability-linked adjustment feature available under its USD 350 million revolving credit facility as part of the company's ongoing commitment to integrating sustainability performance into its business strategy.
• May 20, 2022 – Sabre Corporation, a worldwide travel industry software and technology leader announced an expanded and upgraded collaboration with Virgin Australia. As its operations expand, the carrier will use Sabre's Dynamic Availability technology to explore opportunities to unlock more value.
• May 2022 - ProMinent launched Lithium-ion batteries, which supply energy for today's modern day-to-day living with smartphones, notebooks, and electric cars. The energy density of batteries and their products are constantly being improved by research and industry businesses. This is also true for a Korean manufacturer of anode materials for rechargeable batteries.
• March 2022 - The Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, has named Ecolab the global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services that protect people, the planet, and business health, as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the 16th consecutive year.
• January 2022 - Ecolab Inc., a global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention products and services, has been nominated to Corporate Knights' list of the 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World for the second year in a row, ranking #33 on the list for 2022. Ecolab has now been on the Global 100 Index four times since 2015.