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Dioxin Disaster: Missouri Town Wiped Off Map
28 Jul
Summary
- Town streets were sprayed with dioxin-laced waste oil for dust control.
- Flooding in 1982 worsened dioxin contamination, forcing evacuation.
- The town was bought out, cleaned up, and is now a state park.
In the early 1970s, Times Beach, Missouri, utilized waste oil for routine dust control on its unpaved roads. Unbeknownst to residents, this oil was contaminated with dioxins, a toxic by-product of industrial processes. The contamination came to light in March 1982 when the EPA received reports of dioxin spread. Soil sampling confirmed high levels in Times Beach later that year.
December 1982 brought devastating floods from the Meramec River, spreading the dioxin-contaminated soil across roads, homes, and yards. Faced with this escalating hazardous waste emergency, health officials advised residents not to return. This led to a federal buyout in February 1983, using Superfund resources, which relocated over 2,000 people and government acquired hundreds of structures.
The town's remediation involved treating 265,354 tons of dioxin-contaminated material via high-temperature incineration. Of this, 37,234 tons originated from Times Beach, making it a significant part of one of the nation's largest cleanup projects. As the cleanup progressed, the town was dismantled, and the land was eventually restored and became Route 66 State Park.
The Times Beach disaster underscored the importance of the Superfund program and highlighted how industrial pollution, amplified by natural events, can create severe environmental hazards. Forty years later, the site serves as a historical exhibit within Route 66 State Park, reminding visitors of the lasting impact of toxic contamination and the successful efforts of scientific and public health agencies.
