Dioxin
By Amanda Mannis
Definition and Background
Dioxin, often referred to as polychlorinated dibenzodioxin, TCDD, and dibenzo-p-dioxin, is a aromatic, organic compound that is composed of hydrocarbons (Rogers, Britannica Academic, 2011). Dioxin is a colorless, solid with no apparent odor at room temperature. This substance is known for its toxicity and has been proved to be a teratogen, mutagen, and carcinogen linked to muscular dystrophy, birth defects, genetic mutations, and nervous system disorders. Dioxin is lipophilic meaning it is dissolved in bodily fats and lipids yet remains insoluble in water and most organic compounds. Dioxin toxicity stems from its ability enter a cell’s nucleus alter DNA to disrupt the process of producing proteins. Once dioxin enters it can remain in the body between 7-11 years. The most toxic form of dioxin is 2,3,7,8-tetreachlordibenzo-p-dioxin. (Lackie, Oxford Reference, 2010). It is the by-product of 2,4,5-trichlorophenol which in times past was used in herbicides as well as in the production of hexchlorophene to make antibacterial soaps and be an active ingredient in Agent Orange (1962-1970), a substance used to killed unwanted vegetation in the Vietnam War. (Rogers, Britannica Academic, 2011).
Dioxin contamination is mostly a result of poor industrial management and waste disposal. It is a persistent environmental pollutant due to its molecular properties. Because dioxin is insoluble in water but soluble in fats, its presence in the soil resists dilution by rainwater and therefore can be absorbed through fatty tissues of humans and animals in contact with the soil. As a result this can affect an ecosystem’s food chain. Dioxin can be present in aquatic environments and affect fish as well as in agricultural regions and affect livestock and humans who consume contaminated meats. (Rogers, Britannica Academic, 2011). Ninety percent of human dioxin poisoning is attributed to dietary ingestion (“Dioxin…and their effects”, 2016)
Historical Context
In 1949, scientists first learned of dioxin’s toxicity when German chemical industry workers were exposed to it developed painful, oozing skin lesions known as chloracne. (“Dioxin Timeline, 2010). However, after nearly three decades of work the EPA still did not have any safety standard for dioxin. It wasn’t until 1985 that dioxin was declared by the EPA to be a probable human carcinogen. Yet in 1971, in Times Beach, Missouri, a small rural town of about 2,000, felt the tragic effects of dioxin exposure. During the late sixties, Times Beach housed the Northeastern Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company Inc. (NEPACCO), a company that produced hexachlorophene an antibacterial agent used in disinfectants. The process and purification of hexachlorophene led to the byproduct of dioxin which accumulated in storage tanks. NEPACCO subcontracted with Russell Bill who owned an oil waste disposal company in the area. Bliss, who also owned a farm sprayed the waste oil tanks to control for dust in the area. Days later, horses began to lose their hair and birds began to drop from the sky. This caught the attention of the Centers for Disease Control who investigated and found dioxin in the air and in the soil to be the cause. In 1982, the CDC recommended that Times Beach be evacuated and cleaned up. Through this event, legal action was taken and laws were passed to regulate the disposal of hazardous products. For example, in 1976 Congress passed the Toxic Substance Control Act, which required the testing of chemicals that could be an environmental risk (Sun, 1983, 367-369).
Controversy/Perspectives
During January 1999, a political crisis involving dioxin emerged in Belgium. The incident began when chicken farms in Belgium noticed an increase in the mortality rate of their chicks. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contaminated with dioxins was accidentally added to fat used in the production of animal feed. This caused dioxin to be present in excess in eggs, tissues, and feed of affected birds. Although the incident occurred in January 1999, the Belgian government collected data from samples in May 1999. Controversy sparked when media publicly leaked the news and suggested that Belgian officials were aware of the contamination but neglected to come forward with the information. After which, Karen Pinxten, Minister of Agriculture and Marcel Colla, Minister of Health Issues resigned from their positions when an investigation began to seek probable sources of contamination and errors made by the government. The investigation revealed that the source of contamination came from an oil and fat recycling company called Verkest. The fats processed into the animal feed contained coolant fluid, a known source of PCBs. Because of the outbreak, the European Union ordered a ban on Belgian exports of eggs, chicken, pork and beef. This caused unemployment to rise in the agriculture sector. Additionally, because meats and poultry were no longer farmed in Belgium, it forced natives to travel far to get their meats (Bernard et. al, 2002, 1-3)
This scandal affected Belgium politics and increased public concern. Many Belgians distrusted and denounced governmental officials for having kept the contamination a secret for several months. The Belgium government was ridiculed for not informing its citizens and the European Union officials in a timely manner. The Belgium 1999 election results were a direct reflection of the controversy. The Flemish Liberals and Democrats leader Guy Verhostadt spoke out against Belgium government gaining approval and later became prime minister of Belgium in 2007. Bernard et. al, 2002, 1-3)
Correspondence to Politics of Health
Dioxin, is related to politics of health through the concept of biological citizenship. Biological citizenship as defined by Petryna is “[A] demand for, but not limited to, a form of social welfare based on medical, scientific, and legal criteria that recognize injury and compensate for it” (Petryna, 2004, 1) As discussed in previous sections, communities affected by the contamination of dioxin were able to have the government protect the health of their animals and their own individual bodies by creating laws, and regulating waste companies to properly dispose of dioxin as in the case of Times Beach, Missouri. However in the case of Belgium, it exposed the lack of ownership and responsibility of the government. In this situation, citizens felt betrayed by their government and no longer felt connected to their nation-state because the lack of protection the government was willing to provide. The citizens were left vulnerable–their surroundings were destroyed, jobs decreased, and foods to sustain them became scarce. Yet in both instances through the presence or absence of biological citizenship, citizens were aware of their suffering bodies and looked for solutions.
References
Alfred Bernard, Fabrice Broeckaert, Geert De Poorter, Ann De Cock, Cédric Hermans, Claude Saegerman, Gilbert Houins, The Belgian PCB/Dioxin Incident: Analysis of the Food Chain Contamination and Health Risk Evaluation, Environmental Research, Volume 88, Issue 1, 2002, Pages 1-18, ISSN 0013-9351, http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/enrs.2001.4274.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935101942744)
“Dioxin Timeline.” July 13, 2010. Accessed March 2, 2017. http://www.ewg.org/release/dioxin/timeline.
“Dioxins and their effects on human health.” 2016. World Health Organization. World Health Organization. October. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs225/en/.
Lackie, John. “Dioxin.” In A Dictionary of Biomedicine. : Oxford University Press, 2010. http://www.oxfordreference.com.proxy.library.vanderbilt.edu/view/10.1093/acref/9780199549351.001.0001/acref-9780199549351-e-2666.
Petryna, Adriana, 2004 Biological Citizenship: The Science and Politics of Chernobyl-Exposed Populations. Landscapes of Exposure: Knowledge and Illness in Modern Environments 19:250-265
Rogers, Kara. Britannica Academic, s.v. “Dioxin,” accessed March 1, 2017, http://academic.eb.com.proxy.library.vanderbilt.edu/levels/collegiate/article/dioxin/30569.
Sun, Marjorie (1983). “Missouri’s Costly Dioxin Lesson“. Science. 219 (4583): 367–369. doi:10.1126/science.6849139.
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