Midland Area soils, the floodplain of the Tittabawassee River, and Dow's Midland plant are heavily contaminated with extremely toxic dioxins and furans.  This section will examine various aspects of dioxin contamination — especially dioxin levels in previous years.

Midland Dioxin Levels

It is widely recognized that both the Midland community and Dow's Midland plant have high dioxin levels in the soil, even in 1996 and 1998.  

A comparison between dioxin levels measured in 1984 and in 1996 show that dioxin levels in the community have not dropped as expected.  The apparent "increase" may be due to the fact that an insufficient number of samples were taken in 1984 and 1996 to assure that all areas of high dioxin concentration are known to a 95% confidence level.

Midland Community Dioxin Levels
 

	Analyzed Levels (ppt-TEQ)	Max. Level (ppt-TEQ)
Midland Community
Average Levels - 1984	259	1,528
Average Levels - 1996	289	3,690
Schools - 1996	101	1,283

Mathematical modeling of dioxin levels based on environmental half-lives has confirmed that dioxin levels in prior years were much higher than previously realized.  Based on historical information about Dow's incinerators and waste tar burners, it is believed that the deposit of high levels of dioxins in both the community and the plant was dramatically reduced after 1968 when air pollution control devices were added that were capable of removing dioxin-laden particulates at high efficiencies.  

More information on the modeling calculations and Midland dioxin levels is available via the link : Link to Further Information

The DEQ posted a map of the Midland area with the level of dioxins for various locations sampled in 1983, 1984, 1996 and 1998.  The map does not include the sampling carried out in Dow's Midland plant but the information helps to support the need for additional sampling and analysis in the Midland Community.  The map is available via this link: Link to DEQ Dioxin Map

Mortality of Midland Plant Workers

Exposure to the extremely high levels of dioxins that were present (and are still present) in Dow's Midland plant should have an adverse and noticeable impact on the health of the exposed Dow workers.  Information on the overall mortality and cancer related mortality of the Midland plant employees is very limited and available studies do not specifically address environmental dioxin exposure — with the exception of employees in the production plants that manufactured products contaminated with dioxins.

However, data presented in two Dow studies confirms that general chemical exposure is linked to an elevated overall death rate and to an elevated death rate from certain types of cancers.

Several Dow studies indicate that the Midland plant has a statistically significant elevation of extremely rare cancers.  One Dow study provides information that deaths from mesothelioma, a cancer normally only associated with asbestos exposure, are abnormally high for the Midland plant (SMR 2714). This data suggests that these adverse and unusual health effects may be associated with general dioxin exposure in the Midland plant.

More information on the mortality of the Midland plant workers is available via this link:  Link to Mortality of Midland Plant Workers

Dioxin Levels - Tittabawassee River

This section is still under construction.