Dow to clean up dioxin in Michigan neighborhood

According to the Associated Press, Dow Chemical and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have agreed on a plan requiring the company to clean up dioxin contamination in a Saginaw, Michigan neighborhood. The EPA said tests in April revealed unacceptably high levels of dioxin in an area by the Lower Tittabawassee River. Dow said the contamination probably resulted from activity at its upstream Midland plant dating back a century or more. Under the agreement, Dow will clean the interiors of 11 homes close to the river. Their yards will be excavated and backfilled with clean soil. Unpaved surfaces of Riverside Boulevard will be cleaned. Work at the site is expected to begin late this month and continue through mid-October. The EPA said it will oversee the cleanup, in consultation with state agencies.