US EPA says it won\'t regulate dioxin in landfills

WASHINGTON - The federal government will not regulate levels of dioxin in sewage sludge that is incinerated or placed in sludge landfills or containment ponds, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced last week. Dioxins are a group of highly toxic compounds that are a byproduct of some combustion and chemical manufacturing processes. EPA said in a statement that existing regulations for incinerators, landfills and containment ponds \"adequately protect human health and the environment by limiting exposure to pollutants, including dioxins.\" But the agency said it will continue considering whether to regulate dioxin in sewage sludge that is applied on land. REUTERS NEWS SERVICE