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Ohio’s “Chernobyl” was entirely preventable—but now we have an environmental disaster

drericding.substack.com

Ohio’s “Chernobyl” was entirely preventable—but now we have an environmental disaster

Despite officials’ insistence that Ohio and Pennsylvania residents are safe, the Norfolk Southern ecological disaster poses an immediate threat to nearby & downwind residents.

Eric Feigl-Ding
Feb 14, 2023
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Ohio’s “Chernobyl” was entirely preventable—but now we have an environmental disaster

drericding.substack.com

What happened in East Palestine?

Friday February 3, 2023

Around nine o’clock on the evening of Friday February 3, about fifty cars derailed on a train traveling through East Palestine, Ohio. The train, which was operated by Norfolk Southern Railway, was transporting hazardous materials from Madison, Illinois to Conway, Pennsylvania. The derailment ignited a massive blaze, which firefighters were unable to put out due to the hazardous chemicals that twenty of the train cars had been carrying. Five of the cars had been transporting thousands of gallons of vinyl chloride, a flammable, carcinogenic chemical that boils at just 7 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Saturday February 4, 2023

On Saturday, the derailed train cars were still burning. An evacuation order was issued for everyone within a mile of the derailment site. The town of East Palestine was put under a shelter-in-place order.

In spite of the thick, black clouds of smoke emanating from the fire, a spokesperson from the Ohio EPA issued a statement saying that no harmful chemicals had been detected in the air as of Saturday evening.

Sunday February 5, 2023

On Sunday night, local authorities warned that the burning train cars meant there was “a high probability of a toxic gas release and or explosion.” Authorities ordered everyone within a mile to evacuate, and threatened to arrest anyone who remained in the area. 

Monday February 6, 2023

On Monday February 6, officials expanded the evacuation zone to include parts of Pennsylvania. To reduce the risk of an explosion, Norfolk Southern Railway began a controlled release and burn of the materials. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine warned: 

“[A]nyone who remains in the red affected area is facing grave danger of death. Anyone who remains in the yellow impacted area is at a high risk of severe injury, including skin burns and serious lung damage”

As state and local authorities issued warnings, massive black plumes of smoke poured from the fire.

Twitter avatar for @J_MillerTV
Jordan Miller @J_MillerTV
My camera was rolling when officials detonated explosives inside the derailed train in East Palestine.
11:06 PM ∙ Feb 6, 2023
1,716Likes709Retweets
Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
6) Folks — this Ohio vinyl chloride spill and fire 🔥 plume is horrific and seriously bad. I would evacuate anyone in 50 sq miles and also evacuate anyplace downwind of the plume, wherever it travels & can still measure the chemical in the air. @EPA needs to get serious!
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12:18 PM ∙ Feb 12, 2023
1,539Likes507Retweets

Tuesday February 7, 2023

Ten miles away from the site of the train derailment, a woman in North Lima, Ohio found all of her chickens dead on Tuesday morning.

Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
10) “My chickens were perfectly fine before, and as soon as they started the burn, my chickens slowed down and they died,” “If it can do this to chickens in one night, imagine what it’s going to do to us in 20 years” Yeah—evacuate your families. ⚠️
wkbn.comNorth Lima woman finds chickens dead Tuesday, questions chemical release from trainPeople across the Mahoning Valley — including those who live in Mahoning and Trumbull counties — reported smelling chlorine after Monday’s controlled release in East Palestine. Of…
4:04 PM ∙ Feb 13, 2023
1,240Likes456Retweets

Wednesday February 8, 2023

But by Wednesday February 8th, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and other state, local, and federal officials announced that residents could safely return home. 

While attempting to cover the governor’s press conference in Ohio, reporter Evan Lambert was handcuffed and arrested by police.

Twitter avatar for @NewsNationComms
NewsNationComms @NewsNationComms
BREAKING: @EvanLambertTV, a DC-based correspondent for @NewsNation, has been in Ohio covering the train crash. He was doing a live shot in the back of the room during a press conference-was told to stop by police, was pushed to the ground, cuffed & arrested & put in a patrol car.
11:52 PM ∙ Feb 8, 2023
10,198Likes4,580Retweets

Despite officials’ insistence that Ohio and Pennsylvania residents are safe, the Norfolk Southern ecological disaster poses an immediate threat to residents.

People are experiencing health problems. Animals are dying. Local residents are sounding the alarm. We should listen.

The New Republic reported that residents in the area have been experiencing a variety of health issues, including burning and itchy eyes, sore throat, rash, and migraines. One woman, who lives 15 miles from East Palestine reported experiencing several concerning health issues, including finding blood in her stool. “I’m honestly really scared,” she told the reporter.

There have also been numerous reports of animals experiencing health issues and dying.

Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
Hundreds of dead fish 🐟 in the river that flows from #EastPalestine Ohio, site of the train derailment and vinyl chloride plume. Don’t eat the fish, even if the water is clear. Don’t drink the water until more testing.
2:13 AM ∙ Feb 14, 2023
403Likes191Retweets

“Don’t tell me it’s safe. Something is going on if the fish are floating in the creek.”

"They only evacuated only 1 mile from that space, and that’s just insane to me," she said, coughing throughout the conversation. "I’m concerned with the long-term heath impact. It’s just a mess."

“That ain’t no fucking storm cloud. That’s the ****ing **** from East Palestine. Their ****ing controlled burn.”

Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
16) “THESE ARE NOT EFFING STORM CLOUDS”—the frustrated resident says: the contents of the train could have been transferred into tankers but instead it was set on fire to save time and money. #OhioChernobyl
11:35 PM ∙ Feb 13, 2023
506Likes246Retweets

What chemicals were on the trains? What are their known risks to human health?

Initial reports focused on the massive amount of vinyl chloride the derailed train was transporting.

Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
Gosh—Thousands of gallons of carcinogenic vinyl chloride has spilled and burned in Ohio from a 50-train car derailment. Nobody in the media is talking much about it. I wouldn’t move back to the town or that area for a while if I were living near there. fastcompany.com/90848025/ohio-…
Twitter avatar for @hale27storm
Haley 💙📚 @hale27storm
Nothing to see here. Just the toxic cloud from the controlled explosion from the East Palestine train derailment. As of 9pm, the outside smells of chlorine at our house, located about 15 miles N of the site. #EastPalestine #trainderailment https://t.co/paVSV7vsZD
11:46 AM ∙ Feb 12, 2023
5,004Likes2,316Retweets

Vinyl chloride is a known carcinogen. In addition to cancer, exposure to vinyl chloride can cause a range of other health issues, including nerve damage, liver changes, and alterations in immunity.

One chemist explained that the reports of dead animals in the area were unsurprising because burning vinyl chloride produces phosgene, which was “literally used as a chemical weapon in WWI.”

Twitter avatar for @seanragan
sean michael ragan @seanragan
I'm not surprised by reports of dead animals nearby, since vinyl chloride makes phosgene when it burns. Phosgene was literally used as a chemical weapon in WWI. It's a heavier-than-air gas which hugs the ground, and by the time you notice symptoms it can already be too late.
3:03 AM ∙ Feb 14, 2023

In addition to vinyl chloride, the derailed train was also transporting other hazardous materials.

Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
4) Here are the 3 new chemicals identified in the Ohio rail spill, besides vinyl chloride— Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (bad for central nervous system) ilo.org/dyn/icsc/showc… Ethylhexyl acrylate (bad for GI/ulcers) arkema.com/files/live/sit… nj.gov/health/eoh/rtk…… https://t.co/b8NGjanha7
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3:47 PM ∙ Feb 13, 2023
1,592Likes662Retweets

A spreadsheet from the EPA includes a number of other chemicals that were in tankers on the derailed train.

Who is in danger? What steps should they take?

My recommendation is to evacuate anyone in 50 square miles of the site, as well as anyone downwind of the smoke plume.

Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
6) Folks — this Ohio vinyl chloride spill and fire 🔥 plume is horrific and seriously bad. I would evacuate anyone in 50 sq miles and also evacuate anyplace downwind of the plume, wherever it travels & can still measure the chemical in the air. @EPA needs to get serious!
Image
12:18 PM ∙ Feb 12, 2023
1,550Likes513Retweets

The plume has been heading southeast toward Pittsburgh.

Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
11) Let’s check which way the toxic chemical plume is moving… EAST to Pennsylvania— specifically SOUTHEAST towards Pittsburgh! #trainderailment #OhioTrainDisaster
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4:08 PM ∙ Feb 13, 2023
1,101Likes443Retweets

Ohio residents have reported a chemical smell in the air. If you can smell these chemicals, you are not safe.

Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
5) lots of Ohio residents can smell bleach and mail polish or other chemical odors. This is not safe. Don’t just stay home. EVACUATE! Jesus @GovMikeDeWine @MikeDeWine needs to tell residents the truth. You can’t live there while the plume is there!!! https://t.co/qSEcSSwWgg
Twitter avatar for @Pamacious
𝕾ƙყɛɖῳɛƖƖɛʀ 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖀𝖓ṽ𝖊𝖗í𝖋í𝖊𝖉 🦉 @Pamacious
9/ https://t.co/0ZyFVmbRkq
12:01 PM ∙ Feb 12, 2023
1,015Likes381Retweets

Drinking water may also be contaminated. Officials have warned that local drinking wells may be at risk.

Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
2) DRINKING WATER now endangered. East Palestine police in Ohio is warning that drinking water may be "at-risk" for some people. A task group is going door-to-door to test water. HT @therecount
3:33 PM ∙ Feb 13, 2023
1,905Likes745Retweets

For people living downwind of the derailment: get activated carbon filters (not just HEPA) for your home!

Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
💡NOTE—get ACTIVATED CARBON FILTERS for your home if live near or downwind of the #OhioTrainDisaster toxic plume (PA/WV/MD/VA downwind residents). Gases like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are so small that they slip through HEPA filters & masks—unless a carbon filter. Get it!
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6:24 PM ∙ Feb 14, 2023
309Likes171Retweets

Erin Brockovich, the environmental activist and legal clerk whose successful efforts to hold PG&E accountable for the groundwater contamination they caused in Hinckley, California were the subject of the Oscar-winning movie, Erin Brockovich, offered this advice on Twitter: “Trust your eyes, ears and nose and get the hell out of there if your senses are telling you to.”

Twitter avatar for @ErinBrockovich
Erin Brockovich @ErinBrockovich
I’m trying to gather information on this very serious situation in Ohio involving a train derailment with hazardous chemicals. What I will say is this. Trust your eyes, ears and nose and get the hell out of there if your senses are telling you too.
8:18 PM ∙ Feb 11, 2023
50,803Likes9,365Retweets

Another key piece of advice for anyone in the affected area: Document. Everything.

Twitter avatar for @ErinBrockovich
Erin Brockovich @ErinBrockovich
And if you live in Palestine OH understand that Superman isn't coming but you're there. Trust your instincts. Document everything you see. Band together as a community & demand answers. Organize a citizens committee. Demand a town hall. Keep the eyes of the nation on this.
6:12 PM ∙ Feb 13, 2023
1,619Likes504Retweets

When is it safe to return?

I would not return to Eastern Ohio or Western Pennsylvania until there has been extensive testing of air, water, and soil.

Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
6) I would not move back to Eastern Ohio area or the Western Pa areas downwind of it until extensive testing of air water and soil shows it is safe. My thread 🧵 yesterday 👇 https://t.co/egX7GwYKjT
Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
Gosh—Thousands of gallons of carcinogenic vinyl chloride has spilled and burned in Ohio from a 50-train car derailment. Nobody in the media is talking much about it. I wouldn’t move back to the town or that area for a while if I were living near there. https://t.co/9bCLKWTT8G https://t.co/fN6WkOxHVo
3:52 PM ∙ Feb 13, 2023
1,366Likes366Retweets
Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
7) the real long term health effects won’t be know for years or decades down the road. By then insurance companies and corporations and politicians will have moved on. The untold risks are rarely uncovered (unless by diligent epidemiologists… yes, us again) who research it. https://t.co/XxpHVnBPPw
Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
4) the problem is that exposure and cancer onset takes years—long after the initial exposure to the toxic chemicals happened. By then the original politicians and insurance companies are long gone. But the health risks persist. That’s how public health always gets screwed. https://t.co/VXJirhKYBY
3:56 PM ∙ Feb 13, 2023
1,209Likes305Retweets

How could the Norfolk Southern ecological disaster have been prevented?

Norfolk Southern Railway successfully lobbied against a federal law requiring improved safety regulations for trains transporting hazardous materials. In 2017, the Trump administration rescinded regulatory provisions requiring train cars transporting hazardous, flammable materials to have Electronically Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) brakes, which are much more effective than conventional air brakes.

Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
18) And hell yes the rail companies like Norfolk Southern are responsible - they actively lobbied to block safety rules around new brake requirements. @nscorp executives and lobbyists have blood 🩸 on their hands. #OhioChernobyl #OhioTrainDisaster levernews.com/rail-companies…
levernews.comRail Companies Blocked Safety Rules Before Ohio DerailmentNorfolk Southern helped convince government officials to repeal brake rules — and corporate lobbyists watered down hazmat safety regs.
11:57 PM ∙ Feb 13, 2023
403Likes158Retweets

Rather than investing in technology to reduce the risk of derailments causing ecological disasters like the one in East Palestine, last year Norfolk Southern Railway chose to do a $10 billion stock buyback.

Twitter avatar for @DrEricDing
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
17) Reminder— Norfolk Southern @nscorp chose to do a $10 billion stock buyback instead of investing on worker pay or train safety—especially needed brake replacements. Never forget — we need to sue NS executives to the ground.
nscorp.comNorfolk Southern Announces New $10 Billion Stock Repurchase ProgramNorfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a new program for the repurchase of up to $10 billion of its common stock beginning April 1, 2022. The company’s current program will be terminated on March 31, 2022.
11:40 PM ∙ Feb 13, 2023
586Likes241Retweets

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