[Dioxin-l] Reply

[Ralph Ryder]

>    > There was next to no organochlorine chemical industry in the late 
>    1800s, and 
>    > precious little in America. Compare with hundreds of millions of 
>    tons of 
>    > organochlorines produced in the 60s; as far as I am aware, there 
>    wasn't the 
>    > technology to make, transport or a market to sell a million tons 
>    of 
>    > organochlorine compound in the 1800s. So where did the 
>    environmental dioxin 
>    > production come from in the 1800s? It still amounted to 10% of 
>    current 
>    > levels. I guess I can only think of uncontrolled burning; all 
>    suggestions 
>    > welcome.

Brief background info FYI: 
Herbert Henry Dow arrived in Midland in August 1890. He knew men had
been pumping brine from the underground sea and evaporating it by heat
from their waste lumber to make salt for dozens of years. 
Dow knew that Midlands brine was rich in bromine and had devised a way
to separate this from the brine deposits using electricity.

He founded the Midland Chemical Company and expanded this when he
discovered the brine contained more chlorine than bromine. An hour after
throwing the switch in his new chlorine plant it blew up. 
He refined his plans and with the backing of 57 investors 6 months later
founded the Dow Chemical company in the spring of 1897. Bleaching powder
was in high demand by the textile and cotton mills. Explosions continued
at the plant and problems were to be found throughout the industry with
some workers in the bleach chamber of Hooker Electrochemical Company
(Niagara Falls, New York) quitting before  the timekeeper had made out
their cards.

Dow chemical dumped its wastes out of the back door into the
conveniently located Tittabawassee River. The Indians called it the
'Shinning river.' It soon lost its lustre.

I have posted this recommendation before but will unashamedly do so
again. 'Elements of Risk'
The Chemical Industry and Its Threat to America. 
Cathy Trost, Times Books  1984 ISBN 0-8129-1114-8

cheers

Ralph

 
**************************************************************** 
Ralph Ryder
Communities Against Toxics
PO Box 29
Ellesmere Port
Cheshire UK
CH66 3TX
Email ralph@tcpublications.freeserve.co.uk
Tel/Fax 0151 339 5473
****************************************************************