Dioxin dredging under way at Dow
Saturday, September 08, 2007
JUSTIN ENGELTHE SAGINAW NEWS MIDLAND --

The dredge is on.

Dow Chemical Co. started removing dioxin-tainted soil from the Tittabawassee River's bed near the global chemical giant's sprawling Midland complex.

The dredging begins three months after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told Dow to speed plans to scour three dioxin hot spots along the river.

After weeks of building a coffer dam to prevent contaminated sediment from escaping downstream, Dow began dredging the enclosed area Thursday.

The effort is taking place within the dam -- a steel structure sticking out of the water that stretches about 1,200 feet along the river -- where officials hope to remove about 15,000 cubic yards of material by mid-December.

Dredging tools suck soil from the river and deposit it about 9,000 feet away into a dewatering site.

"We're at full-speed now," said Jennifer Heronema, a Dow spokeswoman. "It's very interesting to watch."

Crews plan to dredge a hot spot containing dioxin at levels near 87,000 parts per trillion, found in soil 6 inches to 1 foot beneath the riverbed. Michigan's residential contact limit for dioxin in soil is 90 parts per trillion. The state average is seven parts per trillion.

Dow promised to take corrective action in 2003, but progress "has taken too long," officials with the federal agency said in June. "EPA has documented that dioxin contamination in soil poses risks to human health and the environment."

Scientists have linked dioxin to some forms of cancer, reproductive problems and weakened immune systems in laboratory animals. However, the World Health Organization says dioxins are not as toxic as previously thought.

In November, workers with Dow-hired Ann Arbor Technical Services discovered the three hot spots within a 6-mile stretch of the Tittabawassee River between Midland's Tridge and Imerman Park in Saginaw Township. v

Justin Engel is a staff writer for The Saginaw News. You may reach him at 776-9691.
 

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