Derailment, Chemical Spills, what's Going on in Ohio?
Image Courtesy: NBC News
Evacuations, toxic chemicals, and clean water, worries the East Palestine town in Ohio is full of fear as health concerns rise. On February 3, a freight train carrying 20 cars of highly flammable toxic chemicals derailed, igniting a quarter mile long fire that burned for days. An evacuation zone was carved out and a controlled release of toxic fumes inside the cargo was carried out in order to neutralize the train cars. About 1500 people were evacuated after the derailment, and hundreds more followed soon after it iterupted. There were investigations taking place in order to try and figure out what happened in order to cause the derailment. Two videos were found showing some indications of mechanical issues in a railcar’s axles that had actually caught fire 20 miles before the derailment. However, the real problem is what the toxic chemicals have done to the air, soil, water, and pollution.
Image Courtesy: The New York Times
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, about 20 cars were reported to have been carrying hazardous materials such as vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethyexyl acrylate, and ethylene glycol monobutyl ethers. Although the air levels seemed to be fine, officials did detect chemicals in nearby waterways. Thus far, drinking water has been monitored and has not been affected. The further the chemicals move downstream, the less concentration in the water, posing less of a risk. Wildlife deaths were seen as 3500 small fish died in the surrounding creeks around the derailment, as well as leaving people questioning whether their symptoms were due to the chemical spill. Now it has been found that around 45,000 animals have died because of the toxic derailment.
Image Courtesy: Stat
Two weeks later, the situation seems to have been stabilized, andcontrolled. No concerning effects have been identified, but the situation will continue to be monitored in order to make sure. The Norfolk Southern Train is fully responsible for the derailment and has experts pushing for tighter regulations on hazardous material trains. Junod, a senior research associate at the Urban Institute, identifies that the U.S. has had dozens of derailments in the last 20 years, with most of the derailments happening in small towns. This is due to the 140,000 miles (about 225308.16 km) of train tracks in America's rural country areas.
Image Courtesy: The Guardian
Unfortunately, the crash is said to have been 100% preventable and a final report on the case and its effects will likely take between 12-18 months (about 1 and a half years). Norfolk Southern Train has already paid out $6.5 million dollars to those residents who were living near the scene. They have also agreed to excavate the soil underneath the tracks in order to repair the tracks before running freight again. The whole situation is stressful and confusing with some saying the true fault is the Trump organization that disbanded some regulations put by the Obama organization regarding train braking systems. Despite whose fault it was, the effects on individuals' health is permanent.
Strike Out,
Writer: Lucia Villanustre
Editor: Racquel Gluckstern
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