River's dioxin level may be EPA record-high
Chicago Tribune
November 26, 2007

SAGINAW, MICHIGAN

A find of dioxin at the bottom of the Saginaw River could be the highest level of such contamination ever discovered in the nation's rivers and lakes, according to a federal scientist involved in cleanup efforts downstream from a Dow Chemical Co. plant in Midland.

A crew testing the Saginaw and Tittabawassee rivers discovered the sample, which measured 1.6 million parts of dioxin per trillion of water, The Saginaw News and The Detroit News reported last week. That level is about 20 times higher than any other find recorded in the EPA archives.

"There may be more surprises out there," said Milton Clark, a health and science expert for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "I'd be surprised if there's not more surprises out there."

Michigan guidelines require corrective action on contamination above 1,000 parts per trillion.

Dioxins are toxic byproducts of the manufacture of chlorine-based products, and some have been linked to cancer and other health problems.
 

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