DEQ: Soil near homes contaminated by wood treatment company

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The soil of at least six homes in west Eugene is contaminated with toxic chemicals that Oregon state regulators believe originated with the activities of an industrial neighbor. The Register-Guard reports the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality said this week that soil samples show high levels of dioxins, a class of toxic compounds. The agency believes operations at the wood treatment company J.H. Baxter & Co., a longtime source of pollution, are responsible for the contamination. DEQ has discovered dioxins in soil samples previously, but the latest sample results are the first evidence of those chemicals at nearby residences. J.H. Baxter & Co. President Georgia Baxter didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.