Monday, March 11, 2019

State toxicologists maintain dioxin exposure near Riverside Park “unlikely” harmful to people

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) Dioxin exposure in the Riverside Park area of Wausau is unlikely to be harmful to people, according to a letter issued to city leaders by a toxicologist with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
The letter was sent in February in response to comments by an independent toxicologist from Virginia used by ‘Citizens for a Clean Wausau’ to investigate dioxin exposure risk in the area of Thomas Street from First Avenue to the Wisconsin River.
The independent toxicologist asked the state toxicologists to explain why they did not mention cancer risk in their initial report filed in May, 2018, that analyzed soil tests and found no significant health risk for residents or park users.
The letter, authored by state toxicologist Clara Jeong, states that adding the factor of cancer risk has not changed her original findings.
“The addition of the cancer risk assessment does not change our conclusion that the level of dioxins found in the soil is unlikely to cause harm to residents in the area,” said Jeong in the letter.
Jeong states however that the Department of Health Services recommends further testing to better understand the potential health impact in the community.

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