Dioxin

Dioxin, toxic chemical produced in some chemical-manufacturing processes, contaminating various herbicides. The effects on human health of long-term exposure to dioxin are disputed, although it is generally accepted that dioxin causes chloracne. U.S. chemical workers have filed suits against employers for serious health problems, and Vietnam veterans also claimed damages for exposure to Agent Orange, a defoliant contaminated by dioxin. There were cleanups in the 1980s of dioxin deposits on sites in Missouri and New Jersey.

See also: Agent Orange.