A dioxin survey conducted by a citizens' group confirmed dioxin pollution nationwide, with the highest concentrations in urban areas with waste incinerators, according to results presented Saturday in Tokyo.
In one of the most comprehensive studies on the issue carried out by a nongovernmental group, over 208 samples of black pine tree needles were collected by an estimated 30,000 volunteers, mainly from around the Kanto area, Hokkaido and Kyushu.
Dioxin levels in areas around Tokyo were relatively high, with levels in Kyushu only a third of those in the Kanto area. Hokkaido had an even lower dioxin level.