What happens to dioxin in the environment?
Unless they are exposed to sunlight, dioxin compounds break down slowly in the environment.3 When dioxins are released into water and are not degraded rapidly by sunlight, they tend to strongly bind to sediments where they can either become trapped and stationary, be further transported, or be ingested by fish and other aquatic organisms4-6. When these compounds are released into the air and are not rapidly degraded by sunlight, they can be transported long distances, and therefore are found in most places in the world4-6. Because they are so widespread, traces of dioxin exist at low levels in almost every living creature, including humans. Because dioxin is produced by non-industrial sources, it is likely that humans have always had trace levels of dioxin in their bodies. Levels detected in humans peaked in the 1970s but have declined dramatically since then, and continue to fall through a combination of government regulations and voluntary industry efforts. Sophisticated analytical c
