HOUSTON (Que Onda Magazine) – Recent test results have revealed elevated levels of toxic chemicals in Houston’s Fifth Ward, with particular concern surrounding the Julia C. Hester House, a vital community center that provides afterschool programs and meals for seniors.
Environmental testing conducted under the supervision of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) detected dioxin, a known carcinogen, at five times the minimum screening level in areas around Hester House, according to Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee.
“It’s not a cause for alarm, but it should be a cause for concern,” Menefee told Que Onda Magazine “Families, children, and our seniors use this land daily, and we need the EPA to determine the full extent of the issue.”
“More testing needs to be done; we need the EPA to continue the testing,” Menefee added. “There’s no way we can fix the problem if we don’t understand what’s happening in the soil.”
The discovery adds to long-standing environmental concerns in the nearby Kashmere Gardens neighborhood, which has been identified as a cancer cluster linked to creosote contamination from a former rail yard operated by Southern Pacific, now Union Pacific, until the 1980s. Creosote, a wood preservative, has been associated with cancer risks and groundwater contamination.
Last year, Union Pacific, in coordination with the EPA, began testing soil and water vapor in the area as part of an ongoing investigation into potential contamination from the former Houston Wood Preserving Works site. The latest results show dioxin concentrations at Hester House reaching 220 parts per trillion (ppt) in some areas—well above the EPA’s residential screening level of 48 ppt, which assumes long-term exposure by young children.
While the EPA has emphasized that these levels do not pose an immediate health risk, further sampling and evaluation are planned to determine appropriate next steps. The agency noted that dioxin exposure primarily becomes hazardous through prolonged contact or ingestion. No additional testing is required at other nearby public areas, including Boyce Dorian Park, according to EPA assessments.
In response, Union Pacific released a statement asserting that nearly all detected chemicals from their testing remain below EPA’s conservative screening levels. The company also emphasized that dioxins are commonly found in industrialized areas and that identifying a definitive source requires further investigation.
“Union Pacific, in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has completed the most extensive soil testing related to the former Houston Wood Preserving Works site in the Fifth Ward. Initial results from schools and public properties near the site show nearly all detected chemicals below EPA’s conservative screening levels. Additional EPA testing at Julia C. Hester House will focus on dioxins found above screening levels. Dioxins are commonly found in densely populated areas with a history of industrial activity, and it is premature to identify a source before the entire testing and evaluation process is completed.”
Community advocates and local officials continue to press for swift action. The EPA’s ongoing human health risk assessment, expected to take several months, will play a crucial role in determining long-term remediation efforts and any necessary public health interventions.
For more information on EPA’s work in the area, visit: https://fifth-ward-kashmere-gardens-uprr-epa.hub.arcgis.com/.
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