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Dioxins are a general scientific term used for a group of 210 chlorinated substances -- dioxins and furans -- which all exhibit similar chemical and physical properties. Seventeen members of this group are considered most toxic. (Source: USEPA, Draft Exposure and Human Health Reassessment of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin (TCDD) and Related Compounds, September 2001) Dow produces an array of products which can lead to the emission of dioxins. According to industry data, dioxins are produced and emitted in the production of vinyl chloride monomers (VCM’s), for instance. Dow is one of the world’s largest producers of these feedstocks -- materials that are the components of polyvinyl chloride plastics. When polyvinyl chloride products are disposed after use, their incineration is also believed by many experts to lead to the generation of dioxin at the point of use or disposal, for instance, in municipal incineration or in house, car, or landfill fires. While the amount of dioxins released depends most importantly on combustion conditions and control technologies, dioxin is indisputably released. (Source: USEPA, Draft Exposure and Human Health Reassessment of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin (TCDD) and Related Compounds, September 2001) Dow also produces a variety of chemicals that can be associated with dioxin formation either during manufacture, or during disposal if incinerated. Those chemicals include chlorinated pesticides, chlorinated solvents, and elemental chlorine. The environmental advocacy group Greenpeace has targeted Dow as one of the leading root sources of dioxin given the company’s product line and an assessment of dioxin formation associated with the entire life cycle of the company’s products. (Source: Greenpeace, Dow Brand Dioxin, 1995) The Environmental Protection Agency issued its Updated Draft Reassessment of Dioxin in 2001. The in-depth scientific review, the most exhaustive review of a single compound ever undertaken by the agency, affirmed and amplified the already known hazards of dioxins. In our opinion, the study made it clearer than ever that dioxins are potent chemicals that produce a wide variety of effects in animals. Most scientists believe animal studies are good indicators of potential problems in humans. There is also human evidence that dioxin is toxic in tiny amounts, and can disrupt many systems of the body. The large body of evidence on dioxin has demonstrated effects including cancer, reproductive and developmental effects, disruption of normal hormone functions, skin rashes (chloracne), immune suppression, and liver damage. The biggest change in the new draft is that EPA has found that the cancer risk from exposure to dioxin is 10 times greater than reported in 1994. The new review also underscores concerns about the developmental and reproductive effects of dioxin exposure in children indicating that children, particularly developing infants, are highly sensitive and vulnerable to the toxic effects of dioxin. The review concludes that impacts on development, the reproductive system and metabolism—may be occurring in people who are exposed to the high end of the general population’s "background" levels. In addition, new attention has been focused on the human "body burden" of dioxin – that is, the amount of the chemical found in the tissues of humans. Previous testing has shown that many Americans already have levels of this compound in their bodies, with any additional exposures only adding to that risk. Persistent bioaccumulative toxics (PBT’s) are substances which are known to persist in the environment, accumulate and bioconcentrate in the food chain, and cause threats to life as a result of their presence. When PBT’s reach the environment they become persistent bioaccumulative pollutants Because of these characteristics, even small amounts of PBT’s, if released over time, have the potential to concentrate in the food chain, posing risks to consumers. Dow has already experienced substantial financial impacts or potential financial impacts due to its emphasis on a product line focused on toxic products. For instance, the Dow pesticide Dursban is believed to be associated with illness in thousands of exposed people, including potential neurological damage to children. The EPA fined the company $732,000 in 1995 for failing to disclose reports of adverse effects associated with use and exposure to Dursban. Though the company entered a voluntary agreement to end its sale of Dursban in over-the-counter products by the end of 2000, the company still manufactures and sells this product for agriculture in the US. The restrictions negotiated in the US do not apply to all other countries, like India. Dow pesticide Dibromochloropropane, (DBCP) was banned in the US in 1978 following evidence linking it to sterilization and cancer. However, the company continued production for export to industrializing countries. In December 2002, it was reported that a Nicaraguan judge ordered three U.S. companies (Dow Chemical, Shell Oil Co. and Standard Fruit Co.) to pay $490 million to 583 banana workers allegedly affected by the use of the pesticide Nemagon (which contained DBCP). (Source: Associated Press, Lawyer: U.S. Firms Ordered to Pay $490M, Sunday December 15, 2002) |
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