Title: What can we learn from 'dioxin incidents'?

Authors: Bart Hens; Patrick H. Dyke; Luc Hens

Addresses: Drug Delivery and Disposition, KU Leuven, Gasthuisberg O&N2, Herestraat 49, Box 921, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ' PD Consulting, Brobury, Hereford, HR3 6DX, UK ' Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium

Abstract: We review selected incidents and discuss how they have helped to frame policy responses to the unfolding issue of dioxins and how regulation has evolved in response to the incidents and the research that has been spurred by them. We also comment on epidemiological work to assess the impacts on human health which are characterised by limitations of sensitivity. We have learned a huge amount from incidents over the years and developed regulations and monitoring programs that: 1) reduce risks; 2) reduce exposure; 3) help us to detect problems. At the same time it is clear that many more contamination incidents will have occurred before we have the tools to detect them and that assessing and preventing incidents is a complex and ongoing process.

Keywords: benzene; dioxins; environmental legislation; human health; cancer; human ecology; Agent Orange; Missouri; Times Beach; Yusho; Seveso; dioxin crisis; epidemiology; dioxin incidents; environmental contamination; environmental pollution; environmental monitoring.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2016.082112

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2016 Vol.60 No.1/2/3/4, pp.34 - 62

Received: 06 May 2016
Accepted: 19 Aug 2016

Published online: 07 Feb 2017 *

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