In December 2010, the European chlorine production stood at 808,717 tonnes. With 26,088 tonnes, the December average daily production was 6.5% lower than in the previous month (November 2010: 27,896 tonnes), but 9.7% higher than in December 2009 (23,784 tonnes).
2010 began a recovery of the European chloralkali industry with an overall chlorine make 881,303 tonnes above the 2009 figure and caustic soda exports 125,127 tonnes lower than 2009 (an increase in apparent European caustic soda consumption of just over one million tonnes).
The December 2010 caustic soda stocks reached 242,284 tonnes, i.e. a 12.1% increase compared to the previous month (November 2010: 216,159 tonnes), and 8,472 tonnes below the December 2009 level (250,756 tonnes).
Details of chlorine production and caustic soda stocks in the EU-27 countries plus Norway and Switzerland in December 2010 are provided in the following tables.