Dioxins are man-made chemical compounds that enter the air through fuel and waste emissions, including motor vehicle exhaust fumes and garbage incineration. Most human exposure to dioxins occurs through the consumption of contaminated foods, especially animal fats. Dioxins may also be carried in rain and contaminate soil and watersheds. Skin rashes, liver damage, weight loss, and a reduction in the effectiveness of the immune system have all been attributed to human exposure to dioxins. Through the efforts of the EPA, dioxin levels in the United States have been steadily dropping. EPA regulates municipal waste combustion and other dioxin-producing sources and works with local governments and industry partners to continue reducing dioxin releases into the environment.

Recommended EPA Web pages

• NCEA: Dioxin and Related Compounds
  This website provides access to information on dioxin and related compounds.
• Envirofacts Master Chemical Integrator (EMCI): Chemical References: 2, 3, 7, 8 - Tetrachlorodibenzo - P - Dioxin (TCDD) CAS # 1746 - 01 - 6
  Provides information on tetrachlorodibenzo - p - dioxin.

Air Pollutants
Aerosols, Asbestos, Carbon Monoxide, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Criteria Air Pollutants, Ground Level Ozone, Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs), Lead, Mercury, Methane, Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Particulate Matter (PM), Propellants, Radon, Refrigerants, Sulfur Oxides (SOx), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Biological Contaminants

Carcinogens

Chemicals
Dioxins, Benzene, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA), Dichloroethylene (DCE), Endocrine Disruptors, Ether, Ethylbenzene, Furans, Halons, Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs), Heavy Metals, Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), Inorganic Cyanides, Ketones, Methane, Methyl Bromide, Methyl Chloride, Methyl-T-Butyl-Ether (MTBE), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Organic Cyanides, Particulate Matter (PM), Perchloroethylene (PCE), Phthalates, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Radioactive Substances, Radionuclides, Styrene, Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6), Sulfur Oxides (SOx), Toluene, Trichloroethylene (TCE), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Microorganisms
Coliform, Cryptosporidium, Viruses

Ozone

Radiation
Ionizing Radiation, Radiation Detection, Radiation Exposure, Radiation Protection, Radioactive Substances, Radionuclides, Radon

Soil Contaminants
Acetone, Arsenic, Barium, Benzene, Cadmium, Chloroform, Cyanide, Lead, Mercury, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Tetrachloroethylene, Toluene, Trichloroethylene (TCE)

Toxic Substances
Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic Pollutants (PBTs), Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), Toxicological Profiles

Water Pollutants
Arsenic, Contaminated Sediment, Disinfection Byproducts, Dredged Material, Lead, Microbial Pathogens