The Toxic Impacts of the Ohio Train Derailment Hope Evans

On February 3, a train derailed in Ohio, U.S.A., spilling toxic chemicals over the surrounding area, which lead to an investigation into the safety protocols of the Norfolk Southern Corporation and more broadly, the rail industry.

In East Palestine, Ohio, a wheel bearing on a rail car carrying plastic pellets began to overheat. The train passed two wayside defect detectors without an alarm being set off, but when it reached a third detector, the temperature had reached 253 F (approximately 122 C) above the ambient temperature, which triggered the alarm.

The threshold for triggering the detector was 170 F above ambient temperature, which Norfolk Southern claims is one of the lowest in the industry. While inspectors have not found any issues with these detectors, it is possible that if a detector was placed earlier on the track, the derailment could have been prevented. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is now investigating the company for their use of, including the placement and threshold of, these detectors.

While it is unclear what exactly caused the faulty wheel bearing and subsequent derailment, there is no evidence that it is the fault of the train crew. Immediately following the alarm, the crew began to brake the train. Unfortunately, at this point, the wheel bearing failed and an emergency brake was required to stop the train.

One possible cause lies in Norfolk Southern’s priorities – a railroad worker’s union has criticized the company, saying that they emphasize speed over safety.

Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the NTSB, called the derailment “100 per cent preventable” and said that “We call things accidents—there is no accident. Every single event that we investigate is preventable.” She believes it is unclear at this point what the best solution would be moving forward: “It could be regulation changes. It could be recommendations to Norfolk Southern, to the Department of Transportation or to rail car manufacturers or to emergency responders. But again, it’s too early to tell.” The NTSB is conducting a full investigation, but that could take 12 to 18 months to complete.

ditches to contain the vinyl chloride while it vaporized and burned.

The spill contaminated nearby waterways and killed over 40,000 fish and other aquatic life. The contaminants have been contained as of February 23 and authorities say that the air quality and water supply are safe. However, residents of the surrounding area have reported health problems, including nausea, bloody noses, and vomiting. Some residents have sued Norfolk Southern and there have been calls for the rail company to buy the homes of residents who feel unsafe living in the affected area.

The derailment happened near Ohio’s border with Pennsylvania and the effects spread to that state, with some residents given an evacuation order. The state’s attorney general’s office is looking into a criminal referral against Norfolk Southern, and Ohio might follow suit.

The EPA has ordered that Norfolk Southern must completely clean up the wreck and outlined certain actions that must be included in that process. However, residents have been skeptical of the clean-up efforts, in part because of potential soil contamination, since soil removal was not listed among completed clean-up activities in a document sent to the EPA on February 10.

Ultimately, 38 cars derailed, including 11 that contained hazardous materials that ignited fires, which then damaged 12 more cars that hadn’t derailed. Five cars were carrying vinyl chloride, a highly flammable substance that can increase cancer risk. While the vinyl chloride did not spill initially upon the derailment, the temperature inside the cars that held it was increasing and raising the risk for an explosion. The rail company chose a controlled release, digging

While the cleanup is underway, it is possible that the region has only begun to feel the effects of the disaster. Environmentalist Erin Brockovich believes as much, saying that “These chemicals are going to mitigate through the system for decades” and arguing that the long-term impacts may not be understood for years to come.