Study: Chemicals from East Palestine train crash spread to 16 states

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE TOXIC FALLOUT FROM LAST YEAR’S TRAIN DERAILMENT IN OHIO – COULD BE MORE WIDESPREAD THAN FIRST THOUGHT.

A NEW ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT FROM THE EAST PALESTINE CRASH SITE FOUND CHEMICALS SPREAD TO AS MANY AS 16 STATES.

THE FINDINGS ARE RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE LASTING IMPACTS TO PUBLIC HEALTH. 

CHEMICAL REMNANTS WERE DETECTED FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO WISCONSIN. IN ALL – COVERING 14 PERCENT OF THE U-S LAND AREA.

THE ANALYSIS FOUND THE DECISION TO BURN OFF TOXIC CHEMICALS HELPED TO SPREAD THE POLLUTANTS INTO THE AIR AND RAIN.

THE LEAD AUTHOR OF THE STUDY SAID THEY WERE SURPRISED TO FIND CHEMICAL CONCENTRATIONS SO FAR AWAY FROM THE BURN SITE. 

THE TRAIN, BELONGING TO NORFOLK SOUTHERN, DERAILED WITH CARS CARRYING VINYL CHLORIDE, A KNOWN CARCINOGEN. AN EMERGENCY DECISION WAS MADE BY OFFICIALS TO BURN OFF THE CHEMICALS TO AVOID A CATASTROPHIC EXPLOSION.

SAMPLES TAKEN DURING THE WEEK OF THE ACCIDENT SHOWED CONTAMINATION OF SOOT, ASH AND DIRT, IN PENNSYLVANIA, MICHIGAN, MASSACHUSETTS, WISCONSIN AND NEW YORK. 

RESEARCHERS SAY IT’S UNCLEAR WHAT THE LONG-TERM IMPACTS COULD BE TO THE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BUT LAWMAKERS ARE LOOKING TO FIND OUT.

THERE’S A GROWING BI-PARTISAN PUSH FOR SWIFT ACTION ON A HOUSE BILL THAT WOULD FUND A STUDY ON THE LONG-TERM HEALTH EFFECTS OF THE DERAILMENT. 

AND A REQUEST FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE SUBJECT HAS BEEN MADE. 

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