By: Zoha Jan, Vincent Medina, Richard Mendoza
At East Palestine, Ohio, a hamlet with a population of 4,700 people and located less than a half mile from the state boundary with Pennsylvania, around 50 cars went off the rails at approximately 9 p.m. on February 3.
Some automobiles were detailed using chemicals that comprised powerful substances that might be hazardous to the environment.
The derailment of the train resulted in releasing a significant quantity of chemicals into the environment, which prompted widespread fear across the population.
The information on the wrecked vehicles was sent to the Environmental Protection Agency. According to the authorities, most of the train’s one hundred and fifty rail cars carried non-hazardous goods such as frozen vegetables, frozen foods, cement, and steel.
Twenty vehicles reportedly transported hazardous commodities, as stated by the National Transportation Safety Board investigating the incident.
Polyvinyl chloride is a robust plastic resin extensively used in the building industry and health care. Five of the cars derailed were carrying vinyl chloride, a synthetic chemical that is a significant component of PVC.
Concerns have been raised about the quality of the water supply in this area, and Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown has refused to say whether or not he would drink the water if he lived there.
In the days after the incident, several additional people complained of experiencing headaches and rashes. Many people have voiced their dissatisfaction with the railway firm and the authorities that represent the government, claiming a lack of response.
According to EPA to address citizens’ worries about possible interior pollution, the EPA will provide cleaning services to local businesses and households.
The Agency has much experience with comparable cleaning projects in other Midwestern towns. The ruling requires Norfolk Southern to compensate the EPA for the expenses of these cleaning services. This week, further information on how community members may request this service will be accessible.
Inhaling vinyl chloride might produce neurological symptoms such as headaches, confusion and respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prolonged exposure to high amounts of vinyl chloride may increase the risk of developing cancer and liver impairment.
According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, toxic discharges were responsible for the deaths of 3,500 fish in the days after the catastrophe. Authorities from the department claim That there has not been an increase in the death rate of fish since those early days and that there is no proof of any damage being caused to other kinds of animals.
