Re: Two Questions: endometriosis & chlorine bleaching

["Jon Campbell" <jon@cqs.com>]

Mike,

         The endometriosis connection is pretty firm. I believe it is
mentioned in both the EPA Reassessment and in the CDC report of 1998. The
original primate study at 25 ppt found that a majority of the primates, when
autopsied, had endometriosis. My understanding is that it is now thought to
be an endocrine disrutption affliction, in which the tissues are given an
incorrect message for reproduction - right up dioxin's alley.

         Pulp and paper is not my expertise, but I believe low-temperature
(~ water BP) dioxin formation can take place, given the right conditions. I
believe the dioxin forms in p&p from intensive chlorine bleaching of the
lignin (really dark brown), but perhaps someone more familiar with p&p can
chime in.

Jon

----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Ewall <catalyst@envirolink.org>
To: Multiple recipients of list DIOXIN-L <dioxin-l@essential.org>
Sent: Friday, September 10, 1999 9:57 PM
Subject: Two Questions: endometriosis & chlorine bleaching


> 1) How established is the link between dioxin and endometriosis?  Should
it
> be referred to as a "probable" link or are we more confident than that?
>
> 2) How are dioxins formed when bleaching paper products and tampons?  Are
> there dioxins contaminating the bleaches themselves or are dioxins formed
> in the bleaching process?  I understand that dioxins are formed in
> temperature ranges around 400-750 degrees Fahrenheit (200-400 Celcius).
> Does the bleaching process get to that temperature range or are dioxins
> formed some other way?
>
> Mike
>