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Dioxin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dioxin may refer to a number of different substances. Most notably:

Environmental impact

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In 1971 waste contaminated with TCDD was mixed with waste motor oils and subsequently used for oiling dirt roads in Times Beach, Missouri for four years. About a decade later, in 1982, leaked EPA documents revealed presence of the contamination and led to public pressing EPA into investigating the case. A day after samples were collected, Meramec River breached its banks, causing a record high flood and forcing evacuation of the entire area. The town was not repopulated after the flood due to TCDD levels reaching 0.3 ppm along its roads.

Multiple dioxins are byproducts in manufacturing processes of many pesticides and construction materials.[specify] PVC incineration releases polychlorinated dibenzodioxins to the environment.

Dioxins break down slowly. It still threatens public health at low levels. Since industry has mostly stopped producing dioxins, one of the largest contributors releasing harmful dioxins left in the United States is waste incineration. Dioxins have been proven to cause cancer, reproductive and developmental issues, and immune system damage. Rates of cancer such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and soft tissue sarcoma rise significantly the closer one lives to the pollutants' source.

See also

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