They are vital to society
Chlorinated solvents can help to save lives and improve human health, for example in the development of pharmaceuticals and precision cleaning of medical devices.
New life-saving pharmaceuticals are synthesised using methylene chloride. This molecule is also a feedstock for fluorinated propellants for asthma inhalers crucial to countless patients across the world.
Chlorinated solvents also play a key role in various other beneficial applications. Trichloroethylene even helps in the preparation of high-tech innovations such as flexible ceramic sheets and fuel cells to improve their performance.