On February 3, 2023, a Norfolk train derailed close to the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. What would have been an already tragic accident was only escalated by the fact that the train was carrying some seriously dangerous chemicals. Out of the many cars that derailed in the crash, 5 of them contained a hazardous chemical called vinyl chloride. As a result, individuals and residents in the surrounding area were forced to evacuate. On February 7th, the Washington Post published an article titled “The health risks for Ohioans after the derailment of the train with toxic chemicals” to try to explain potential health risks. In order to understand why many individuals within the area of the crash may experience health consequences, we must first understand how the chemical spill was dealt with and what makes vinyl chloride so dangerous.
Throughout the nation, vinyl chloride turns up in everything from packaging materials to housewares, but why is it so dangerous? Vinyl Chloride is an odorless chemical that is known to be a carcinogen. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned individuals that breathing this hazardous chemical over an extended period of time could result in several types of cancer: including brain, lung, and blood cancers. In addition to how dangerous this chemical is, some questions are raised about the disposal methods of the chemical.
After the five cars of vinyl chloride derailed and spilled, officials decided that the toxic chemicals would be burned through a controlled fire. This decision was made due to the fear that the chemicals could explode and send shrapnel into neighborhoods near the crash. This burning of toxic chemicals could lead to a slew of consequences. First, the Environmental Protection Agency is now having to monitor the air within the area due to the possible release of phosgene and hydrogen chloride due to the burning off of the vinyl chloride. This is bad news as hydrogen chloride is known to irritate the throat, nose, and skin, as well as have an extremely pungent odor. Phosgene on the other hand is a very toxic gas that was utilized in WWI and could cause chest constriction and sometimes death. In addition to these dangerous chemicals being released as a result of the burning of the vinyl chloride, many believe that the burnt-off vinyl chloride could wind up within the water. The CDC has publicly stated that it is possible that some of the vinyl chloride could dissolve within the water and could eventually infect the groundwater. However, a day after the accident local officials stated that due to the location of the derailment, it is unlikely that the groundwater or drinking water is contaminated.
This article begs the bigger question of why we are still transporting such dangerous chemicals in this way. Humans are imperfect creatures and as a result, accidents are bound to happen. For instance, there have been multiple chemical spills from rail cars within the year that simply did not gain the same amount of media attention. Some of these accidents include a methyl chloride leak in Peoria, Illinois, and another chemical leak in Perris, California. As a result, I believe that in order to keep our supply chain functioning properly and the general public safe, less toxic chemicals need to be used or formulated that won’t poison a whole community if spilled. Additionally, I believe that this article serves to question if the agencies involved with this clean-up are truly being transparent with the public about the severity of the spill. After only a day, local officials deemed it safe to return to the area, which seems much too small of a period to understand the true transmission of the vinyl chloride within the area. Erik Olsen, a senior director for the Natural Resources Defense Council urged against the burning of the chemicals as he believed it would increase the dispersion of the hazardous chemicals. Additionally, when asked what he would do in this situation if his family lived close to the accident, he claimed “I would take my family with me and not return until I’m pretty confident the risk has subsided”.
This article and event would be an excellent scenario to discuss in CHEM 100. This is because it is a real-life situation in which a mistake has resulted in a hazardous chemical spill. As a result, the train derailment could be used to teach the importance of the safe transport of hazardous chemicals. In addition, the fact that the chemical in this situation is vinyl chloride and that it was burned serves to provide an excellent example of what happens with chemical dispersion when a hazardous chemical is spilled on such a grand scale. Finally, this situation serves as an example of different ways in which the EPA responds to large chemical spills.
References:
Phillips, Anna. “The Health Risks for Ohioans after Derailment of Train with Toxic Chemicals.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 8 Feb. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/02/07/ohio-train-derailment-toxic-impacts/.
Puskar, Gene J. “A Plume Rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a Result of a Controlled Detonation of a Portion of the Derailed Train Monday.” The Health Risks for Ohioans after Derailment of Train with Toxic Chemicals, The Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/02/07/ohio-train-derailment-toxic-impacts/. Accessed 14 Feb. 2023.
Puskar, Gene J. “The Freight Train That Derailed Friday Night in East Palestine, Ohio, Burns the Following Day.” The Health Risks for Ohioans after Derailment of Train with Toxic Chemicals, The Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/02/07/ohio-train-derailment-toxic-impacts/. Accessed 14 Feb. 2023.
This is a very timely post. The title is effective and would help draw readers. The graphic is also very effective. That dark cloud of smoke is almost apocalyptic. Your lede meets the usual journalistic requirements providing the essence of the piece concisely and introduces the sources early on and specifically. The Washington Post is certainly a good general interest source with a wide readershlip. Your summary of the relevant chemical issues is good and I think your views on the policy implications is appropriate. This is certainly an example of media treating the interaction of chemistry and public policy issues. You give us a good summary of how that interaction is treated and by implication how effective that treatment is. I appreciate your note about the appropriateness of the piece for a CHEM 100 type audience.
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