What happened in Seveso Italy?
What happened in Seveso Italy?
A 1976 chemical factory explosion near Seveso, Italy exposed residents to high levels of 2,3,7,8-tetracholorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD or dioxin). Dioxin is a known human carcinogen and potent endocrine disruptor. It is highly lipophilic and has a long half-life in humans.
What happened during the Seveso disaster?
On July 10, 1976, a valve broke at the Industrie Chimiche Meda Società Azionaria (ICMESA) chemical plant in Meda, just north of Milan, Italy. This accident resulted in the release of a chemical cloud containing the highly toxic dioxin TCDD.
How many people died from the Seveso disaster?
None of the 20,000 people who lived in Seveso died, but the poison killed 3,000 farm animals and pets. Another 70,000 animals had to be killed to stop the dioxin from getting into the food chain.
What was the date of the Seveso disaster?
When: July 10 1976. Where: Meda, near Seveso, Lombardy, Italy. Death toll: Around 3,300 domestic animals (including poultry) perished within days and another 80,000 were slaughtered to prevent them entering the food chain.
Where was the explosion of the Seveso dioxin cloud?
On July 10, 1976, an explosion at a northern Italian chemical plant released a thick, white cloud of dioxin that quickly settled on the town of Seveso, north of Milan. First, animals began to die.
Where was the chemical plant in Seveso located?
The small chemical plant owned by Hoffmann-La Roche subsidiary ICMESA near Meda, 15 km (10 mi) north of Milan, was not considered by the locals to pose any threat, perhaps because it had been operating for many years without serious incident. But that changed in July 1976.
Where is the town of Seveso in Italy?
Seveso is a municipality located 20 km north of Milan. Until 1976 Industrie Chimiche Meda Società Azionaria (ICMESA) was located at the border with the town of Desio.