
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 1, 1990                   TAG: 9006010143
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

STUDY RE-EVALUATES DIOXIN'S THREAT

Dioxin - the chemical that forced the evacuation of Love Canal, sparked a wave of lawsuits over Agent Orange and became notorious as the most potent carcinogen ever tested - may be far less dangerous than previously imagined, according to new scientific evidence.

After close study of the chemical's effect and a re-evaluation of the original scientific data on dioxin's alleged dangers, many scientists have sharply reduced their estimates of dioxin's cancer-causing potential. Calling it a weak carcinogen, some scientists now recommend relaxing guidelines for the handling and cleanup of the chemical.

The re-evaluation is not complete, and in some cases is hotly disputed by environmentalists. Even those scientists leading the revision stress that dioxin is far from benign and should be handled with care.

But the new research sharply contradicts the arguments of many environmentalists that the levels of dioxin currently in the environment pose a significant health risk and suggests that at least some of the billions of dollars being spent to reduce trace amounts of dioxin in the air and water might be better spent elsewhere.

by CNB