On February 3rd, 2023, a Norfolk Southern train was derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. This train had been carrying hazardous materials, specifically vinyl chloride, “a colorless but hazardous and carcinogenic gas used to produce PVC plastic and vinyl products.” This chemical is very harmful to humans, “acute exposure to high levels […] has been linked to central nervous system effects, while chronic exposure has been shown to cause liver damage.” Some of the cars that were carrying this chemical had the potential to explode, which led to a controlled burning of the chemical on February 6, releasing a toxic plume of smoke. When vinyl chloride is burned, “it decomposes into hydrogen chloride and phosgene.” These resulting chemicals are still very dangerous, “phosgene is highly poisonous and was used […] during World War I as a choking agent, while hydrogen chloride is irritating and corrosive to any tissue with which it comes into contact.” Therefore, even after the controlled burning, the area was still exposed to hazardous material.
After the derailment, residents within a 1-mile radius were asked to evacuate. Two days after the controlled burning, they were able to return. Authorities reassured them repeatedly that it was safe to come back, stating “that the air quality was safe and […] the water supply was untainted.” Now that the town has been reinhabited, people are noticing problems that may be related to the chemicals released into the town. Some residents “have reported experiencing nausea, shortness of breath, dizziness, and headaches.” Furthermore, the environment has been deeply affected. The chemicals from the derailment contaminated the waterways of the Ohio River, which “has led to the deaths of at least 3,500 fish.” According to the chief of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s division of surface water, Tiffani Kavalec, there has been no vinyl chloride or pre-product detected in the water. All that has been detected are the fire contaminant combustion materials. Officials believe that any contamination that made it into the waterways was very diluted and should not affect the water supply for East Palestine. The claims of safety and absence of the chemicals within East Palestine are doing little to reassure the residents who are still smelling chemicals and experiencing symptoms. The Environmental Protection Agency has been working to screen homes, schools, and the general environment to determine the impact of the incident and whether there are any unsafe places throughout the town. As of right now, residents are being encouraged to only drink bottled water until they are entirely sure of the safety of the local water supply. Officials are going to start testing for PFAS, a category of more concerning chemicals that are used to put out chemical fires. The biggest concern of environmental officials is the possibility of PFAS migrating downstream.
Officials have started to try to contain the pollution resulting from the chemical spill. The placement of oil containment booms in waterways, aeration of contaminated soil and water, excavation of impacted material, and the collection of water in containers are all ways in which officials are working to clean up the surrounding area of the derailment. The environmental impact of the spill is still unknown, but it is good that the clean-up has begun and is considered to be working.
This situation has affected “more than 1,000 people – residents, business owners.” There are already lawsuits being filed against Norfolk Southern. The company has started an assistance center and is reimbursing those who had to leave their homes. On February 15th, a town hall meeting was held in East Palestine to obtain information about the derailment and the state of the town’s environment and safety. Norfolk Southern representatives were supposed to attend but neglected to show up out of fear of how their workers would be treated by townspeople. The absence has only furthered the anger felt by the residents. Many feel that the company is hiding something due to their avoidance of questions. The residents have yet to be told much of anything, whether that be from the government or from Norfolk Southern, and it is beginning to frustrate and concern them. The President and CEO of Norfolk Southern claims “that the company is ‘committed to East Palestine today and in the future,’” but the residents would likely disagree.
The actions of Norfolk Southern were not the only ones being criticized by residents. The Biden Administration is being heavily criticized regarding its response to the derailment. Many people were not happy with the aid provided by the government, “local leaders and members of Congress demanded that more be done.” The Administration defended its’ response, claiming that it has provided extensive support to the people of East Palestine through multi-agency effort. However, the only Cabinet member that has visited the town was Michael Regan, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. In defense of their actions, Regan is “asking they trust the government,” though many are very hesitant to do so. It took weeks for any senior official to make it to East Palestine and there has still been little communication regarding the extent of the damage done to the environment. Residents remain concerned and skeptical due to the lack of transparency.
On the morning of February 16th, another Norfolk Southern train derailed. This time, the derailment occurred near Van Buren Township, Michigan. A representative of the company stated that “no hazardous materials have leaked or otherwise come out of containment from the train.” Thankfully, this derailment has caused much less harm to the surrounding areas and no chemical spill has occurred. According to the Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, the derailment of trains is a serious problem and “there are roughly 1,000 cases a year.” Many people are calling for better safety measures to be taken by train companies since the frequency in which these accidents are happening is concerning.
Overall, the two derailments of Norfolk Southern trains have brought a lot of attention to the dangers of the chemicals carried by trains, as well as the lack of safety features of many of them. The lasting effects of the chemical spill in Ohio are still unknown and the EPA is continuing to test the surrounding environment. The way in which both Norfolk Southern and the government have responded to the situation has frustrated and concerned residents of East Palestine, Ohio. Their lives are affected by this situation as it is possibly detrimental to the health of residents and to the environment. The derailment in Ohio has the potential to be one of the largest environmental disasters in U.S. history. Hopefully, actions can be taken to further assure the safety of residents and the health of the environment.