A once-secret report reveals cleanup workers got sick at Ohio derailment site

A report undisclosed to the public since spring of 2023 revealed workers cleaning up the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment in February of 2023, became sick during the process. The Associated Press released the report on Wednesday, Aug. 14. The report said the cleanup workers reportedly fell ill while cleaning up creeks near the overturned Norfolk Southern boxcars, which had been carrying toxic chemicals.

Workers reported headaches and nausea while shooting compressed air into the creek bed. The process, known as air knifing, releases chemicals from sediment and water. However, the cleanup continued until three weeks later when another worker became ill. After that incident, air knifing was halted.

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An independent toxicologist said that workers should have been told that they were spreading toxic chemicals into the air. The toxicologist also said that using air knifing “was not an informed decision.”

A Norfolk Southern spokesperson claimed that none of the workers who got sick “reported any lingering or long-term symptoms.”

“The health and safety of our employees, contractors, and the community has been paramount throughout the recovery in East Palestine,” the spokesperson said.

Since the derailment, residents of the East Palestine have reported unexplained rashes, asthma and respiratory problems, and even diseases like male breast cancer. Researchers are still determining how many of the health problems are linked to the train derailment disaster. Furthermore, it is unclear if contaminants from other industries in the area were already in the creek bed as well.

East Palestinians have until Thursday, Aug. 22, to decide whether they will accept $25,000 as part of a $600 million lawsuit against Norfolk Southern. The money is meant to cover any future health care costs for residents.

Meanwhile, follow-up testing by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) detected small amounts of vinyl chloride and other chemicals at the crash site. However, the agency said that it is not a health risk because contaminated soil from the site has been removed. The entire clean-up effort is reportedly expected to wrap up by the end of this year.