Readers Response to MDN article 1/29/04: Extension granted for Dow dioxin plan

Date: Jan, 29 2004 This article states "The DEQ hopes to begin by February 17 review of Dow’s plan for identifying areas outside the Tittabawassee River and flood plain, such as residential neighborhoods near the Midland plant, that might have high levels of dioxin from historical manufacturing processes."

Why will Dow be investigating residential areas which might have high levels of dioxin from historical manufacturing processes? Would you ask a fox to return to the chicken coop to take a head count of chickens, when you suspected it had been there the night before? Surprisingly, powerful industrial polluters are still a self regulating industry in this day and time.

I was born and lived many years in Midland, receiving the fine benefits of having a grand "Sugar Daddy", such as Dow. However, the air was thick and pungent many days, and no one ever warned me to avoid playing in and around the Tittabawassee. This was in a time before wastes, by-products, and contamination were ever being examined by environmental agencies and the public. Let me assure you, however, our country's most brilliant scientists, chemists, and chemical engineers at Dow knew the repercussions of the manufacturing processes. Dow was aware of the impact this would take on the environment, and consequently the damage that would ensue to both the area and the health of its residents.

Forty years ago, as I played in pollutants, Dow was a self regulating industry, and apparently this still holds true today, as they are being asked to assess their contamination of Midland.

For additional articles like this one, go to the Tittabawasse River Watch web site www.trwnews.net for complete coverage of the Tittabawassee River Dow Chemical dioxin contamination saga. . The Newspaper / Media page of our site contains an extensive archive of media articles dating back to January 2002. The source organization's web site link is listed to the right of the article, visit often for other news in our area. The Newspaper / Media page may be accessed by scrolling down to the bottom of the CONTENTS section and clicking on the Newspaper/Media link.