By Mitch Cooper & Haley Herbert

January 1987 Vertac site manufactured herbicides 1978 National Dioxin Survey 1983 Site placed on the National Priority List July 1986 proposed interim remedy implemented 1985 Incineration pilot studies were conducted February 1987 Emergency drum over packing August December 1990 First Trial Burn October 9-11, 1991 Second Trial Burn January 1992 Incineration of drummed wastes began June 1993 EPA assumed management of the site September 1994 On-site incineration completed and remaining waste transported off site for incineration March 1996 Transport to off-site incinerator was completed December 1996 Off-site disposal of residual salt and ash was completed

Remediation of Vertac Superfund Site reduced the environmental risks for the citizens of Jacksonville, a city with approximately 30,000 residents. About 10,000 cubic yards of highly contaminated waste were treated by incineration. Approximately 25,000 cubic yards of debris resulting from demolition of buildings and equipment have been disposed in the on-site Resource Conservation Recovery Act, Subtitle C landfill (consolidation/containment unit). Approximately 20,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil have been disposed (contained) in the on-site RCRA landfill. The numerous cleanup actions performed to date have reduced the further spread of contaminants and the threat of exposure to dioxin wastes from the tanks and drums on site, as well as the threat of dioxin exposure from contaminated buildings and debris, soil and groundwater.

Dioxin effect on a northern pike The Remedial Investigations evaluated risks to human health and the environment. Results from the risk assessments identified future risks to future workers at the site due to ingestion of contaminated soils, and surface water, and groundwater. Future risks were also determined due to contamination of a nearby stream from surface water runoff

The community was opposed to the idea of incineration for many different reason: The community felt that Vertac had already lied to them about dioxin and then learned that the incineration process only removed 99.9% of the toxins which left.01% of toxins per ton to be released into the atmosphere. The toxins that were being released into the atmosphere were known to cause major birth defects along with cancer and other diseases. The community had already suffered from disease and did not believe that the incineration process wouldn't hurt them any further.

According to Annette Crusher who is with the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality the federal legislation that superfund site received was a waver through the fed government. The legislation that was passed was a land ban on putting Dixon and other wastes into the ground.

The ethics of Incineration can be viewed in different ways, but overall the incineration process is not a major threat to the environment or people. According to the CDC when studying the Jacksonville community their studies showed that the incineration process had no affect on the number of cases of cancer or other diseases. The solution to the dioxins being released into the atmosphere is simple. As long as the incineration process is being conducted at a high enough heat level to where all the chemical bonds are broken no toxins will be released into the atmosphere and that is the major solution to the problem.