A hazardous chemical has been found in a soil sample near the former Union Pacific Railroad creosote treatment facility in Houston. The chemical, Dioxin, is extremely toxic. It can cause certain types of cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, damage to the immune system, and can interfere with hormones.
Local residents and activists have been fighting for clean-up to be done at the site since 2019 when cancer clusters were discovered.
Following the discovery, the health department notified EPA and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Mayor Sylvester Turner said “The finding of dioxin in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens area is noteworthy and underscores why we are working aggressively to protect families and their children. We already know that the Texas Department of State Health Services found a higher-than-expected cancer rate of acute lymphoblastic leukemia at nearly five times the expected rate.”
Health department: Dioxin found in soil near former Union Pacific creosote treatment site
