Dioxins in soil enough to have a negative effect on human health through eggs?

[Rchlluke]

Hi, we got chickens this year and we are in a rental house. We recently found out that 7 years ago a chemical plant exploded and possibly released dioxins onto our property. Our chickens are free range on this property. Do y’all think that there could be enough dioxins to transfer to the eggs after almost 8 years? We also live next to a grass farm that the chickens hang out near. They don’t fertilize often but they do fertilize some. I’m not as concerned about the fertilizer bc it’s just not super common. Has anyone else experienced something like this. We are renters and my landlord is not interested in getting the soil tested. There is a very small settlement that is getting testing but our property is not a part of it. The county has apparently tested in the area and not found alarming values but private companies apparently have found some problems with dioxins. I just want some opinions on egg quality, especially with the price of eggs rn.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Hi, we got chickens this year and we are in a rental house. We recently found out that 7 years ago a chemical plant exploded and possibly released dioxins onto our property. Our chickens are free range on this property. Do y’all think that there could be enough dioxins to transfer to the eggs after almost 8 years? We also live next to a grass farm that the chickens hang out near. They don’t fertilize often but they do fertilize some. I’m not as concerned about the fertilizer bc it’s just not super common. Has anyone else experienced something like this. We are renters and my landlord is not interested in getting the soil tested. There is a very small settlement that is getting testing but our property is not a part of it. The county has apparently tested in the area and not found alarming values but private companies apparently have found some problems with dioxins. I just want some opinions on egg quality, especially with the price of eggs rn.

No one can honestly answer the question posed.

The Dosage is the Poison.

We can however provide some strong hints.

Without knowing Dioxin soil levels, anything else is just guess work.

That said, Germany, China, Thailand, Korea, spots in Italy and Switzerland (I think) all have areas of high dioxin levels. There have been a few studies. Generally:

A) High Dioxin levels in the soil correlate closely with high dioxin levels in the flora growing on that soil, which then translates to close correlation w/ dioxin levels in the fauna eating that flora.

B) Composting is very effective at breaking down dioxins.

C) The more rural the property, the lower the typical dioxin levels (vehicle exhaust is a dioxin source).

D) Even in areas with moderately high dioxin levels in Germany, free range hens did not have significantly greater dioxin levels than battery hens, and the eggs of all of them were considered safe for consumption (in reasonable quantity).

see also.

Similar.

Conclusion - its not a significant risk generally, even in areas known to have relatively high dioxin concentration levels. If your property was used for the storage of Agent Orange and its precursors, or illegal dumping of electrical transformers, likely a different risk assessment.

Individuals may have greater risk - the very young (low relative body weight, bodies stil in development, etc), the very old (typically a larger number of potential comorbidities and decreased organ functions generally), those who consume very unusual amounts (again, the dosage is the poison), those with compromised liver, kideny, and.or immune function - and need to make individualized assessments.