A day after samples were collected, Meramec River breached its banks, causing a record high flood and forcing evacuation of the entire area.
The town was not repopulated after the flood due to TCDD levels reaching 0.3 ppm along its roads.
Multiple dioxins are byproducts in manufacturing processes of many pesticides and construction materials.
Dioxins have been proven to cause cancer, reproductive and developmental issues, and immune system damage.
Rates of cancer such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and soft tissue sarcoma rise significantly the closer one lives to the pollutants' source.