What is dioxin and why is it in Midland soils?
Dioxin is the generic term used to describe a family of 210 chlorinated hydrocarbons and is a by-product of the combustion process. Any type of burning will produce dioxin and, according to a 1995 study by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the three leading sources are incineration, backyard trash burning and landfill fires. The elevated dioxin in Midland soils was created by historical not current emissions from incinerators operated on The Dow Chemical Companys Michigan Operations plant site.
