Dioxin: A Fundamental Threat To The Future

- from ‘We all live in Bhopal’ by George Bradford.

What Is Dioxin?

Dioxin is the most toxic chemical manufactured by humans. Dioxin is a general term that describes a group of two hundred or so chemicals that are highly persistent in the environment, and are produced when Chlorine combines with other chemicals. These chemicals do not destroy living cells, but they mimic the effect of oestrogen within them, which has very serious consequences. Not only is there no ‘safe’ level of exposure to dioxin, but dangerous levels of dioxin and dioxin-like chemicals have been found amongst the general population.

How Are We Exposed To Dioxins?

Dioxins are formed as an unintentional by-product of many industrial processes that involve chlorine such as waste incineration, chemical and pesticide manufacturing and pulp and paper bleaching. It is not a natural substance and nature has no defence against it.

The major source of dioxin in the environment (70%) comes from incinerators burning chlorinated wastes. Other sources include paper mills which use bleaching in their processes and with the production of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) plastics, cars (because chlorinated chemicals are added to fuels), and recycling smelters.

The major exposure route of dioxin is our diet. Since dioxin is fat soluble, it is mainly found in red meat, dairy products, milk and fish. These toxins become more concentrated as they rise up the food chain so that dioxin levels in fish can be 100,000 times or more than that of their surrounding environment.

Damage To Eco-systems

Wildlife studies have shown for decades that animals are being affected by this invisible, tasteless, odourless, deadly threat. In 1950, researchers at Syracuse University exposed young roosters to DDT (a pesticide containing oestrogen) and results showed that their testicles only grew to 18% of normal size.

A 1963 study showed that cysts and cancers developed in mice treated with oestrogen as new-borns.

Reports of odd behaviour began to appear as well: pairs of female gulls (so - called ‘gay gulls’) sharing nests, pairs of terns failing to sit on their eggs - neglecting to defend their nests against predators and alligators with penises so small they couldn’t reproduce.

Damage To Human Health

Damage to human health caused by exposure to dioxin includes:

GENERAL: wasting diseases, suppressed immune defenses against infectious diseases, MEN: Reduction in sperm counts which have declined by 50% in the last 50 years) and semen quality, testicular cancer, reproductive abnormalities, such as undescended testes. (Basically we are talking about the feminisation of all male offspring.)

WOMEN: endometriosis - a painful growth outside the uterus, breast cancer, (in 1960, a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer, during her lifetime was one in 20. Today the chances are one in 8.)

CHILDREN & FOETUSES: Cerebral palsy, mental retardation and reduced IQ, learning disability, attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder, hydrocephalus, seizures and other permanent neurological abnormalities. (The foetus lives in the womb enclosed inside a fluid filled sac called the placenta, which provides a barrier to many poisons that the mother might ingest. However, unlike many other poisons, dioxin crosses the placenta and begins affecting the foetus. The human body retains dioxin, so a ‘body burden’ begins accumulating during our early months in the womb).

So What Is The Government Doing About This?

Closing down incinerators? Banning the use of PVC? Waging war on the Chemical Corporations? No. Instead, on 25th July 1995 the institute for Environment and Health published a Government commissioned report entitled: ‘Environmental Oestrogens: Consequences to Human Health and Wildlife.’ One of the main conclusions of this report is that: “Proof of a cause-effect relationship between exposure to oestrogens in the environment and adverse effects on human reproductive health is likely to remain elusive. Similarly it may not be possible to identify conclusively which agents, acting singularly or in combination, are responsible for adverse effects in wildlife populations.” Whilst we are all being horrifically poisoned, the conclusion of the research commissioned by the government is that more research needs to be done. If that is what governments do, if that is all the precautionary measures that they are willing to take, then we are far better off without them. It is time to take action ourselves. It is time that more attention be given to issues other than roads. It is vital that releases of dioxins are stopped soon or else the consequences will be grave.

The time for talking is well over. We ALL have a reason to hit the chemical companies where it hurts (in the genitals just where they have hit us). It is time to carry out direct action on the chemical industry so that they are brought to their knees. What are we waiting for?

Get Involved

Toxic Alert! is a new non-violent direct action network focused on the chemical industry. Write to them: c/o PO Box 2600, Brighton, BN2 2DY: Tel 01273 685913. Get on the mailing list, become a contact. Do some actions.

Visit the EF! Toxic Mutants Website: http://www.hrc.wmin.ac.uk/campaigns/earthfirst/ toxmut.html

Communities Against Toxics PO Box 29, Ellesmere Port, South Wirral, L66 3TX. Tel: 0151 339 5473 Fax: 0151 347 1213. Email: cats@gn.apc.org CATS also publish a grassroots magazine, TOXCAT, subscription £12 per year.