Contact: Sasha Tenenbaum, [email protected], (917) 887-0146
Ohio and Pennsylvania—On February 3, a 150-car train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. The derailment caused both a chemical explosion and dayslong fire, as well as a subsequent “controlled release” of known carcinogens. Though the town was evacuated, concerns about the hazardous air pollutants released during the incident linger. In response to the derailment, Moms Clean Air Force Ohio Coordinator Tracy Sabetta, Ohio River Valley Coordinator Rachel Meyer, and Pennsylvania Coordinator Vanessa Lynch released the following joint statement:
“As moms, we are deeply distressed by the recent train derailment in East Palestine and the release of multiple toxic air pollutants into a community where people live, work, and play. The chemicals released and burned after the derailment are petrochemicals used to make plastics and paints, and they’re known to be harmful to human health. One of the most concerning is vinyl chloride, a colorless gas that has been linked to cancers of the liver, lung, and brain, as well as leukemia and lymphoma. Acute exposures to vinyl chloride can kill. And research suggests that exposure to chemicals like vinyl chloride may be especially harmful for children. Because air toxics travel, the impact of this incident extends much farther than East Palestine, putting communities across the Ohio River Valley region at risk.
“It is horrifying to think that children in East Palestine and the surrounding area have been exposed to the hazardous chemicals used to make plastics and paints. As these toxic chemicals linger in our community—in our air, soil, and water—it is frightening to know that an accident like this might happen again in the future, potentially in an even more densely populated area. The rapid expansion of the petrochemical industry in the Ohio River Valley means that more trains carrying toxic chemicals could be traveling through our communities, putting families and beloved ecosystems at risk.
“We need EPA, other government agencies, and Norfolk Southern to take full responsibility for the impacts of toxic petrochemical pollution along their routes. We welcome seeing US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan who will be visiting East Palestine this week, reinforcing that this tragedy cannot be swept under the proverbial rug. State and federal officials must dedicate the resources necessary to protect the communities affected by this avoidable incident and urgently revisit the policies necessary to ensure that these events do not happen again.”
Resources:
- Fact sheet: Petrochemical pollution and our health