Pioneering research using dioxin-eating bacteria could help clean up Swiss city

The city of Lausanne in western Switzerland has been massively contaminated with dioxin, a potentially highly toxic pollutant found around the world. Pioneering research using lab-grown bacteria offers hope for the huge clean-up ahead. Check out our selection of newsletters. Subscribe here. Dioxin pollution is a global problem, especially in poorer countries in Asia and Africa. The toxic environmental pollutants are mainly unwanted by-products of manufacturing processes, but the worst culprits are uncontrolled waste incinerators and open burning. While dioxin emissions in developed nations have remained at relatively low and stable levels thanks to control measures, those in low-income countries are still at relatively high or have continued to increase in recent years, research shows. Switzerland has a reputation for cleanliness and natural beauty. But it too has a serious toxic legacy. In the western Swiss city of Lausanne, historical dioxin contamination caused by an old ...