{"id":265058,"date":"2023-02-14T07:04:33","date_gmt":"2023-02-14T07:04:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=265058"},"modified":"2023-02-16T07:54:24","modified_gmt":"2023-02-16T07:54:24","slug":"dead-animals-and-reports-of-sickness-as-ecological-disaster-unfolds-after-ohio-toxic-train-derailment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=265058","title":{"rendered":"Dead animals and reports of sickness as ecological disaster unfolds after Ohio toxic train derailment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Louise Boyle \u2013 The Independent Feb 13, 2023<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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A drone photo of the continuing cleanup of the train derailment site<\/p><\/div>\n

The ecological fallout from the derailment of a freight train<\/a> carrying toxic materials in rural Ohio<\/a> is still being determined ten days after the disaster.<\/p>\n

Around 50 train cars derailed on 3rd February<\/a> in the small town of East Palestine including about 20 cars carrying hazardous substances.<\/p>\n

No one was killed after a broken axle sent the Norfolk Southern train careening off the tracks, investigators said. More than 2,000 residents were evacuated due to health concerns over the chemical leak but have since been allowed to return.<\/p>\n

Some of the crashed cars were carrying toxic chemicals – vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether – which were released into the air, surface soils, and surface waters.<\/p>\n

Five rail car tankers of vinyl chloride were intentionally breached by crews, and the substance diverted to an excavated trench. A controlled detonation was then carried out to prevent an explosion, sending noxious black clouds billowing across the area. One of the substances released was phosgene, a gas deployed as a chemical weapon in the First World War.<\/p>\n

Environmental remediation work was ongoing, Norfolk Southern reported last week, along with air, soil, and water monitoring in coordination with state and federal agencies. Regulators have said that so far the air quality remains safe and drinking water supplies have not been affected in surrounding communities.<\/p>\n

But in the ten days since the disaster, a number of troubling reports have emerged. Some residents have spoken of headaches and feeling sick, the Associated Press<\/em> reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

East Palestine resident Melissa Henry told AP how she had taken her two sons to her parents\u2019 house outside of the evacuation zone after her youngest boy\u2019s \u201ceyes turned red as tomato and he was coughing a lot\u201d.<\/p>\n

She said that since returning to her home, she had been doing laundry, cleaning and changing filters in the furnace.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if that\u2019s going to work, but we have to do something,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Vinyl chloride, which is used to make plastic pipes, wires and packaging, is associated with an increased risk of a rare form of liver cancer, hepatic angiosarcoma, along with primary liver cancer, brain and lung cancers, lymphoma, and leukemia, Cancer.gov<\/a> reports.<\/p>\n

One resident in the town of North Lima, around ten miles from the train derailment<\/a>, reported that her six chickens<\/a> died in the days after the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy video camera footage shows my chickens were perfectly fine before they started this burn, and as soon as they started the burn, my chickens slowed down and they died,\u201d Amanda Breshears told local TV station WKBN27<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

It was not the only report of sick animals. Taylor Holzer, a registered foxkeeper who lives outside the evacuation perimeter, told WKBN<\/em> that all of his foxes were sick and one had died. Dead fish were also observed floating in local streams.<\/p>\n

A legal notice sent to the train operator by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contained further details of contamination.<\/p>\n

Hazardous materials were found in samples taken from a number of waterways in the area – Sulphur Run, Leslie Run, Bull Creek, North Fork Little Beaver Creek, Little Beaver Creek, and the Ohio River.<\/p>\n

Materials related to the incident were also observed entering storm drains, EPA noted. The agency also highlighted that areas of contaminated soil and free liquids were observed and potentially covered and\/or filled during reconstruction of the rail line.<\/p>\n

Environmental activist Erin Brockovich criticized the EPA and state lawmakers for telling people it was safe to return to their homes and at the same time, sending a legal notice to the rail operator over the threat of environmental contamination.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is why people don\u2019t trust government,\u201d she tweeted on Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou cannot tell people that there has been and continues to be hazardous pollutants contaminating the environment while at the same time saying \u2018all is well.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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This is why people don't trust government.
You cannot tell people that there has been and continues to be hazardous pollutants contaminating the environment while at the same time saying "all is well." <\/p>\n

People aren't stupid. @GovMikeDeWine<\/a> @EPA<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/eSfa9JPKzH<\/a><\/p>\n

— Erin Brockovich (@ErinBrockovich) February 13, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n