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Sources of dioxin emissions can pollute the air, water, and land. Sources to air are dominated by the combustion of wastes and fuels. Sources to water include storm runoff, air deposition, and wastewater discharges from certain industrial processes. Sources to land include air deposition and the land spreading of wastewater treatment sludge.

Flows of dioxins are ways they are transported once they are released into the atmosphere. Flows include airborne transport of dioxin vapor and dioxin contaminated particles, water transport of dioxin-contaminated suspended particles, transport from land through wind and water erosion, transport of biota through trophic exchange, and movement through commerce-contaminated materials.

Reservoirs include soil, sediment, and manufactured materials, that contain dioxins which are stored and may later be released into the environment.

Sinks represent long-term storage and isolation of dioxin in undisturbed soil and sediments.

Extracted from: cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay.cfm?deid=15239

Since dioxins have the ability to stay airborne for an extended period of time, they can travel far distances before setting in soil or water. Also, dioxins can travel vast distances in ocean currents. The traveling capabilities of dioxin allow it to pollute people and wildlife in pristine environments. Dioxins have been found in Canada's artic region, thousands of miles north of incinerators and smelters in the United States.