CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INVESTIGATIONS BRANCH

California Department of Health Services

INFORMATION ABOUT DIOXINS

May 2003
Q. What are dioxins?
A. Dioxins are a group of highly toxic chemicals. They are created when garbage, plastics, metals, wood, and other materials are burned. They are also found in some chemicals. There are several types of chemicals that are called dioxin-like because they look and behave in similar ways. Dioxin-like chemicals include furans, and some types of PCBs (polychlorinatedbiphenyls). While some are more toxic than others, they all have similar effects on the body.

Q. How can I be exposed to dioxins?

A. For most people, almost all exposure to dioxins comes from food. When dioxins are released into the air, they usually fall on the ground, onto plants and into the water, where they may stay for many years. Animals get dioxins into their bodies when they eat plants and peck at the ground. Dioxins are stored in the animals fat. When people eat these animals, dioxins get into their bodies as well.

Q. Why are people concerned about dioxins?

A. Studies show that exposure to dioxins can cause cancer in humans. Other studies have also linked dioxins to health problems such as birth defects, liver damage, and skin diseases such as rashes or discoloration. Dioxins remain in the body for many years. Because they are found everywhere, we all have some level of dioxins in our bodies. Whether these chemicals will harm a persons health depends on many things, including how much dioxin a person was exposed to, when the exposure happened, and a persons genes. Between the 1930s and the 1970s, human activities released large amounts of dioxins into the environment. Beginning in the 1970s, new laws have reduced the amount of dioxins being produced. Even so, the World Health Organization (WHO) has found that current exposure to dioxins may be at levels that harm peoples health.

Q. Where do dioxins come from?

A. There are many types of activities that produce dioxins. Today, most dioxins come from the burning of garbage and medical waste and from wood treated with a chemical called PCP (pentachlorophenol). PCP contains dioxins and stays in the wood for many years. Dioxins are also produced during metal smelting or refining, and coal and wood burning. Dioxins are found in certain pesticides that are used in both commercial agriculture and in the home. They are also produced during forest fires and other natural events. Burning trash on your property can produce large amounts of dioxins, too. A few people burning trash in their backyard can produce as much dioxin in a day as a large incinerator burning medical waste. Smaller amounts of dioxins are also produced in vehicle exhaust, wood burning, and paper production.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q. What can I do to reduce my exposure to dioxins?

A. Unfortunately, there is no quick way to get rid of dioxins that may be in our bodies. There are, however, many ways to reduce your exposure to dioxins. Eating foods that are low in animal fat is not only good for your health, but also reduces your exposure to dioxins. Choose meat, poultry, dairy products, and fish that are low in fat. Fruits, vegetables, and grain products are very low in fat, and contain almost no dioxins. The United States Department of Agricultures dietary guidelines are a good example of a diet low in animal fat. Preparing foods in ways that lower the amount of fat will also lower your exposure to dioxins. You can lower the amount of fat in foods by: Removing the skin and fat from meat and fish Using less butter or lard when preparing food Using vegetable oil instead of animal fats Cooking foods on a rack so that the fat can drip off and be thrown away Eating only the meat of fish and throwing away the liver and other organs Washing fruits and vegetables before eating them Cigarettes also contain a small amount of dioxin. Stopping or reducing smoking is another way to reduce your exposure to dioxins and other harmful chemicals.

mends that people who raise their own chickens keep them in coops above the ground.

Q. What about wood treated with dioxins?

A. Some outdoor wood products, mostly telephone poles, that have direct contact with the ground, may be treated with PCP (pentachlorophenol). Wood treated with PCP should never be used for indoor projects like furniture, floors, cutting boards, or for outdoor projects where it will come into contact with people, animals, or drinking water. Wood treated with PCP should be disposed of at a landfill. It should never be burned in fireplaces, open fires, or wood stoves. Some landfills will not take wood treated with PCP. Contact your local landfill to be sure they accept this type of wood.

Q. Should I be tested for dioxins?

A. Testing for dioxins is very expensive and can only be done in special laboratories. Because dioxins are everywhere in the environment, scientists believe that everyone has some amount of dioxin in their body. Unfortunately, scientists know very little about what level of dioxins in your body causes health problems. For these reasons, CDHS does not recommend that people be tested for dioxins.

Q. What if I fish or raise my own chickens?

A. Some areas of California have health warnings for fishing and raising chickens. There are fish advisories for PCBs and other chemicals for the following areas: The Port of Stockton Richmond Inner Harbor San Francisco Bay and Delta Region Areas along the coast of Los Angeles and San Diego Each area has its own fish advisory. More information on the fish advisories can be found at: http://www.oehha.ca.gov Chickens that forage on the ground may also be exposed to dioxins by pecking and eating contaminated soil. At this time, there are advisories for home-grown eggs in the Oroville and Stockton areas, and the area south of Mojave. Information on these advisories can be found at the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) website: www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/deodc/ehib While several areas of California have special advisories for chickens, it is important to remember that dioxins are in soil everywhere. For this reason, CDHS recom-

Q. Whats being done in California about dioxins?

A. Lowering the amount of dioxins being produced by human activity is the best way to keep people from being exposed to dioxins. California leads the nation in lowering emissions of dioxins into the air. In 1990, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) passed laws to lower by 99 percent the amount of dioxins from incinerators that burn medical waste. Because of these new laws, the number of medical waste incinerators in California dropped from 150 to less than 10. California law requires other industrial facilities to report to the CARB how much dioxin they are releasing into the air. At this time, the CARB is testing the air for dioxins and other chemicals at 12 locations in California.

For More Information

More information on dioxins can be found by contacting: The California Department of Health Services Environmental Health Investigations Branch 1515 Clay St., Suite 1700 Oakland, CA 96412 (510) 622-4500

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS