Ohio Train Derailment Cleanup Hits Another Milestone
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Cleanup crews have met another milestone in the ongoing cleanup of the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment, which had contaminated the area with hazardous materials.
The Environmental Protection Agency said in an Aug. 22 update that crews began dismantling the one-million-gallon big blue tanks last month. The two tanks had been used to contain contaminated water during the cleanup process. Now that workers have disposed of the stored water, they can dismantle the containers.
This removal signals another step towards completion of the response to the Feb. 3, 2023, derailment.
According to the Marietta Times, the EPA approved the return of natural water flow to the area last month. The final ditch segment along the tracks can now be redirected back into the creek that runs through East Palestine.
At the end of June, the unified command overseeing cleanup transitioned into a multi-agency coordination group, which is standard for long-term emergency response and signifies significant progress, according to the EPA.
Questions Remain Around Train Derailment Response, Decisions to Release Chemicals
While cleanup of the train derailment has progressed significantly, there is still controversy around the initial response the railway company Norfolk Southern had in the aftermath of the crash.
According to PBS, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in June that Norfolk Southern botched the decision to blow open five tank cars containing vinyl chloride three days after the derailment. This controversial action was meant to prevent the railcars from exploding and spreading shrapnel and debris. However, some reports claim that burning the chemicals was unnecessary because the cars were cooling down, making an explosion unlikely.
Exposure to vinyl chloride can cause irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, with long-term exposure linked to liver cancer, neurologic symptoms and behavioral symptoms.
According to the New York Times, the call to vent the vinyl chloride blindsided fire chief Keith A. Drabick. He had only 13 minutes to decide whether or not to approve the decision.
The NTSB also said that the crash was likely caused by an overheated bearing. Although a hot bearing detector alerted the crew, “the low priority alert it transmitted to railroad personnel did not reflect the true condition of the failing bearing,” said NTSB in a meeting summary. “[T]he train’s crew did not have adequate warning to stop the train before the derailment.”
Lawsuits Result from Health Concerns Surrounding Derailment
Numerous lawsuits have resulted from the derailment, in part due to the potential health impacts of the vinyl chloride that was vented into the air.
Fears of health concerns among residents emerged quickly after the crash. At the time of the derailment, there were reports from residents of animal deaths in the area, including at least two rescue pet foxes and a pet cat. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources later estimated that thousands of aquatic animals died due to the crash.
According to NPR, Norfolk Southern agreed in April to pay $600 million to settle a class action lawsuit without admitting to any wrongdoing.
The settlement encompassed class action cases within a 20-mile radius of the derailment and personal injury claims within a 10-mile radius. In May, a federal judge approved the settlement.
Editor Lindsay Donaldson contributed to this article.