Dying from Dioxin: A Citizen's Guide to Reclaiming our Health and Rebuilding Democracy [Hardcover]

Lois Marie Gibbs (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0896085260 | ISBN-13: 978-0896085268 | Publication Date: July 1, 1999

It's in our food. It's in our bodies. And it's making us sick. According to recently released studies from the EPA, widespread exposure to dioxin is destroying the health of the American people. In Dying from Dioxin, Lois Marie Gibbs and grassroots activists and scientists with the Center For Health, Environment and Justice (formerly the Citizens Clearinghouse for Hazardous Waste) describe the alarming details of this public health crisis, and explain how citizens can organize against it.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Dioxins are highly toxic chemical byproducts of pesticide manufacturing, incineration, and chlorine-based paper milling. Manufacturers, such as the paper industry, recently requested the Environmental Protection Agency to reexamine dioxin data from 1986 in which federal regulations limited dioxin exposure and emissions. As a result, the EPA's Dioxin Reassessment, released in early 1995, verified 1986 data that dioxins are not only carcinogenic but may also cause serious adverse effects on the immune and reproductive systems of humans and wildlife. Within this framework, grass-roots activist Gibbs and the group she cofounded after Love Canal, Citizens Clearinghouse for Hazardous Wastes (CCHW), have compiled this seminal citizen's how-to manual on dioxins and their chemical cousins. The history, politics, exposure pathways, toxicology, and chemistry of dioxin are covered in an easy-to-understand and powerful style. True to CCHW's commitment to environmental justice principles and community empowerment, organizing strategies like a "Dioxin Resolution" are among the aids citizen-activists may use in communicating concern to regulators and industry on dioxin-related issues. Highly recommended for special, public, and academic libraries and to those involved in public policy, citizen activism, and environmental health.?Susan Maret, Univ. of Colorado, Denver
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A masterful, comprehensive, easy-to-understand account of the chemistry, biology, ecology and politics of dioxin." - Barry Commoner, Director, Center for Biology of Natural Systems "Now everyone has an opportunity to learn about dioxin and the issues surrounding it, in this well-presented, multifaceted book."-Theo Colborn, Senior program Scientist, World Wildlife Fund "this book is a blueprint that every ordinary community activist can understand, which will motivate and inspire to keep up the fight." - Dollie B. Burwell, Warren County Concerned Citizens Against PVB and Dioxin "If you get all the way through tis book and you're not mad, sacred,and ready to organize, you should read it again." - Alonzo Spencer, Save Our County -- Publisher Comments

Widespread exposure to dioxin is destroying American health: Gibbs and grassroots scientists describe its presence in the environment, explaining how food products grown or produced near places where dioxin is released can become contaminated and lead to cancer. Chemical companies have hidden the facts, this title maintains as it brings dioxin's dangers to light. -- Midwest Book Review --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 361 pages
• Publisher: South End Press (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0896085260
• ISBN-13: 978-0896085268
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,214,326 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concise, clear, and informative, August 22, 2004

By 

Jonathan Spear (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dying from Dioxin: A Citizen's Guide to Reclaiming our Health and Rebuilding Democracy (Paperback)

This is one of two books I have read on this subject, the other one being _Our Stolen Future_, by Theo Colborn.

The Colborn book is much more well known, and it is highly regarded. In comparing the two books, I actually think that _Dying from Dioxin_ is superior, both in its scientific information and its clarity of presentation.

I don't mean to denegrate the Colborn book, but the Gibbs book predates Colborn, and has at least as much useful information. The Colborn book is interesting in that it is written in the format of a mystery novel, rather than a conventional technical paper.

One of the useful concepts that Gibbs presents concerns the many different dioxin-like pollutants that exist. She clearly explains the concept of how different compounds, such as PCB's can be assigned a numerical factor, based on their equivalent toxicity, relative to the most toxic dioxin compound. Although this numerical estimate method has serious limitations, Gibbs and her colleagues explain what the limitations are. To make sense of the sea of pollutants in which we live, this numerical method is one of the only tools we have for making practical decisions to reduce our toxic exposure.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dying from Dioxin : A Citizen's Guide to Reclaiming Our Heal, February 29, 2000

By 

Sharon E Gorman (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dying from Dioxin: A Citizen's Guide to Reclaiming our Health and Rebuilding Democracy (Paperback)

Many people are unaware of how detrimental Dioxin, a toxic waste byproduct that occurs when chlorine is burned and when other organic chemicals that contain chlorine are manufactured, is on health. This book reviews the studies that confirm the correlation to Dioxin and disease/health problems, such as endometriosis, cancer, birth defects, learning disorders. This books provides a good synopsis and indepth review of Dioxin supported by scientific research. Lois Marie Gibb's Dying from Dioxin is as revealing as Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. This book is a must for environmental/health activists, parents, teachers, health practitioners, and anyone who cares about health.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Info Regarding Dioxin Poisoning, August 4, 2009

By 

George A. Smellie "Geo" (Mills, UT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dying from Dioxin: A Citizen's Guide to Reclaiming our Health and Rebuilding Democracy (Hardcover)

Very informative for the person interested in halting the production of dioxin.
I will no longer recommend blended Biodiesel. I will advocate B100 to replace petroleum diesel fuel.
Thanks Lois.