The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) has determined that dioxin contaminated soil and dust on properties in a residential area of the city of Saginaw do not pose a current public health hazard following a clean up completed in 2008.

The clean up work was conducted by contractors for Dow Chemical Company under the oversight of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Throughout 2008, MDCH worked with the EPA and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) to evaluate the threat posed by the contamination and make recommendations to protect public health.

The cleanup included removal of soil, the addition of clean topsoil, and landscaping to restore the properties. Driveways and the shared dirt road were paved to limit dust from vehicle traffic. Indoor cleanup removed contamination inside residents' homes.

The Public Health Consultation: "Dioxin Contamination on Residential Property in the Tittabawassee River Floodplain Saginaw County, Michigan" is available on the internet at www.michigan.gov/mdch-toxics.

Requests for printed copies should be addressed to Dr. Linda D. Dykema, Michigan Department of Community Health, Division of Environmental Health, 201 Townsend Street, P.O. Box 30195, Lansing, Michigan 48909. People may also call the toll-free telephone number, 1 800 648-6942 (1-800-MI TOXIC).