Registrants reported some health conditions at a higher rate than would have been expected. Some of the health conditions were reported more frequently by certain age groups. In the case of some conditions, only men or only women had higher rates. Cancer rates were not higher compared with those found in the general population. Some of the health conditions with higher rates were anemia and other blood disorders, diabetes, skin rashes, and urinary tract disorders.
Dioxins are present in the environment primarily because of the burning of fuels, wood and waste.
They are also found at low levels in cigarette smoke. 2,3,7,8-TCDD, is found mostly in wastes from factories making chlorinated phenols and as a byproduct of the chlorine bleaching process used at pulp and paper mills. In the environment, dioxins are usually found in contaminated ash or soil. They can also be found in the air, and in the sediment of industrial run-off water. The Dioxin Subregistry is a substance-specific part of the National Exposure Registry.