Persistent Toxic Chemicals: Dioxin

Where does dioxin come from? How can I reduce my exposure to it?

Dioxin is produced during the manufacture and burning of products that contain chlorine (such as PVC/vinyl plastics), and during the manufacture of chlorine-bleached paper products. Released from smokestacks, dioxin falls on farms, settles on plants, and moves up the food chain. For example, cows eat dioxin-tainted grass, and people eat the dioxin in their cheese. Dioxin is now pervasive in fish, beef, poultry, pork, milk, and eggs. It also gets into water from industrial discharges.

At extremely low levels, dioxin can cause a range of health problems from learning disabilities to cancer. The Environmental Protection Agency now estimates that cancer risk from dioxin for the average American is as high as 1 in 1000. 95% of our exposure to dioxin is from eating foods that contain animal and fish fat. To reduce your consumption of these fats:

• Choose lean cuts of meat.

• Cut off visible fat before cooking meat and choose lower-fat cooking methods: broiling, grilling, roasting, or pressure-cooking.

• Avoid frying meat in lard, bacon grease, or butter.

• Choose low-fat dairy products as much as possible.

• When preparing fish, remove skin, trim the fat, and broil, bake, or grill fish so that the fat drips away.

For complete tips on safer food choices, click here.

What can I do to help reduce pollution from dioxin?

Choose alternatives to products that contain PVC. Please read our FastFacts section PVC and Other Plastics for more information.

Buy recycled, chlorine-free paper products.