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The J.H. Baxter facility site is located off Rossevelt Boulevard within the Bethel community. Neighbors would complain about smells emitting from the facility peaking in 2004 with 762 air quality complaints. An investigation by the Oregon Health Authority and the Environmental Health Assessment Program found that homes near the facility have high levels of dioxin.
Homes that have high dioxin levels are recommended to take precautions such as removing shoes and wiping feet before entering one’s house. Additionally, it is recommended to avoid activities that may disturb large amounts of soil such as digging holes. The Department of Environmental Quality plans to remove the contaminated soil and replace it with clean soil.