Dioxins
Dioxins are a group of toxic compounds that share similar chemical structures. They are mainly formed as a byproduct of industrial processes such as waste incineration, water treatment, and paper manufacturing. If dioxins are not properly captured and stored, they can be released into the environment. Once released into the air, dioxins can travel thousands of miles. They can also attach to soil particles on the ground and sediment in bodies of water. Dioxins are slow to decompose, so they can persist in the environment for years after being released.
Exposure to dioxins is associated with a variety of health problems including a skin disease called chloracne, liver damage, thyroid dysfunction, diabetes, and immune system dysfunction. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has determined that several types of dioxins cause cancer. It is suspected that dioxins may also cause reproductive damage, birth defects, and miscarriages. Dioxin exposure is particularly dangerous for infants and children.
Today, most people are exposed to dioxins through consuming animal products that have accumulated dioxins over time. If fish or livestock become exposed to dioxins, these dioxins accumulate in their bodies, and when humans eat the contaminated animal products, we can be exposed to high levels of dioxins. People can decrease their risk of dioxin exposure by removing skin from chicken and fish, trimming visible fat from meats, checking local fishing advisories when catching their own seafood, and decreasing meat consumption.
People can also be exposed to dioxins from fires – house fires, wildfires, backyard barrel burning, and industrial waste incineration can all release dioxins into the surrounding air, water, and soil. To limit exposure from these sources, people should avoid open fires at or near the home. People living near an active wildfire or waste incineration site should remain indoors while the fire is ongoing and use respirators and air purifiers.
While these steps can help keep individuals safe, the federal government must do more to regulate our food supply and industrial activity to protect public health. In 2003 the National Academies of Science released a report on dioxins in the food supply and recommended strategies for reducing risk of dioxin exposure through food. Implementing these strategies through regulations and public education campaigns would go a long way toward protecting people from dioxin exposure through food.
The federal government should also conduct remediation of contaminated waste and incineration sites to remove dioxins from the environment. For example, the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site in Harris County, Texas has been contaminated since the 1960s with dioxins from paper mill waste. Much of the waste has since washed into the San Jacinto River, potentially exposing people and wildlife in the area. Nearby residents have reported significant health conditions – including pregnancy complications, birth defects, maternal mortality, and childhood cancers – thought to be related to this dioxin exposure. After years of community pressure, EPA ordered full remediation of the site, and the community is continuing to fight to ensure that excavation and removal of all contaminated material is completed. The San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund site is a clear example of why regulatory action is essential for protecting all communities from dioxin exposure and how impacted communities can get the government to take action.
