Cleanup efforts and testing for toxic chemicals continue in East Palestine one month after a fiery train derailment.
The crew of the derailed Norfolk Southern train became aware of an overheated wheel bearing just moments before the wreck and tried to stop the train, the National Transportation Safety Board said last week. The wreck impacted 38 train cars, 11 of which were carrying hazardous materials. Vinyl chloride in five cars was released and burned after the derailment to prevent an explosion.
Weeks later, East Palestine residents remain concerned about their long-term health and some officials have voiced concerns about dioxins, a type of toxic substance that can stay in the environment for long periods of time. Here's what to know about the derailment this week.
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Work to remove train tracks near derailment starts
The effort to remove the train tracks near the derailment began Friday, CNN reported. The process started on the south track and will begin with removing the track, digging out and sampling the contaminated soil underneath and finally replacing the track.
Trains will continue to run on the north track, where there are tank cars that still need to be inspected, Norfolk Southern representative Darrell Wilson said.
Norfolk hopes to start the same process on the north track March 28 and said the entire removal process for both tracks should be done by the end of April.
EPA orders Norfolk Southern to test for dioxins
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordered Norfolk Southern to begin testing for dioxins on Thursday. Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance sent a letter to the state’s environmental protection agency last month expressing concern that dioxins, a group of toxic chemical compounds, could have been released when vinyl chloride was discharged from the damaged railcars.
So far, testing for “indicator chemicals” has suggested there’s a low chance that dioxins were released, the EPA said.
Residents, Norfolk Southern gather for town hall in East Palestine
Norfolk Southern officials attended a town hall in East Palestine on Thursday and were met with questions, concerns and criticism from residents.
Solid and liquid waste shipped to other states
Approximately 2.1 million gallons of liquid wastewater have been hauled out of East Palestine since the derailment, according to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday.
All of the wastewater will be disposed of through deep well injection. Here's where:
- Around 190,000 gallons were shipped to Vickery Environmental in Vickery, Ohio.
- Around 1.6 million gallons were shipped to Texas Molecular in Deer Park, Texas.
- Around 300,000 gallons were hauled to Detroit Industrial Well in Romulus, Michigan.
Around 1,400 tons of solid waste have also been shipped out. Here's where:
- Around 140 tons were hauled to Ross Incineration Services in Grafton, Ohio, to be incinerated.
- Around 370 tons were hauled to Heritage Thermal Services in East Liverpool, Ohio, to be incinerated.
- Around 440 tons were shipped to U.S. Ecology Wayne Disposal in Belleville, Michigan, to be put in a landfill.
- Around 440 tons were hauled to Heritage Environmental Services in North Roachdale, Indiana, to be put in a landfill.
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Ohio Senate holds first hearing on East Palestine train derailment
The Ohio Senate held its first train derailment hearing on the East Palestine disaster on Wednesday. Senators questioned Ohio EPA officials about the cleanup effort and testing for toxic chemicals in the air, water and soil. The Ohio Department of Public Safety also spoke about the emergency response to the derailment.
State and federal agencies are conducting weekly tests on the village's municipal water system and continue the cleanup effort in contaminated creeks.
East Palestine derailment:Ohio Senate holds first train derailment hearing on East Palestine disaster
U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, J.D. Vance introduce rail safety bill
Sens. Brown and Vance introduced a bipartisan bill, The Railway Safety Act of 2023, Wednesday, which aims to prevent train derailments and address issues found in the aftermath of the East Palestine wreck. The proposal came after Gov. DeWine said the train that derailed in the village was not considered a high-hazard flammable train, and called on Congress to examine these classifications.
The federal bill would:
- Require trains carrying hazardous materials to give advance notice to states, even if they aren't high-hazardous flammable trains.
- Require trains with these materials on board to be scanned by hot bearing detectors every 10 miles.
- Update inspection rules and ensure they're conducted by qualified rail car inspectors.
- Require two-person crews.
- Increase the maximum fine for railroads that break the rules to 1% of their annual operating income, instead of $225,000.
- Increases HAZMAT registration fees paid by railroads to fund grants for emergency response training.
Rail unions: Workers have fallen ill at Norfolk Southern derailment site
Jonathan Long, general chairman of the American Rail System Federation of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said rail workers have continued to experience migraines and nausea after working to clean up the train derailment site.
In a letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Long also claimed Norfolk Southern failed to provide appropriate personal protective equipment to workers at the site and said the railroad uses a "cost-cutting business model that disregards the sanctity of human life for the sake of more record profits."
Rail union:Workers are ill at derailment site
Leaders from 12 unions met with Buttigieg and Amit Bose, administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, in Washington, D.C., Wednesday to discuss the derailment and necessary safety improvements.
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw to testify in Congress
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw has agreed to testify on the East Palestine train derailment in Congress, the company said Wednesday. Shaw will appear before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on March 9.
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EPA opens office near site of derailment in East Palestine, Ohio
The EPA opened an office near the train derailment site on Tuesday where East Palestine residents can sign up for home air monitoring and cleaning services, as well as ask questions about the cleanup effort. Testing has found no signs of contamination from the derailment in the air or village water supply, state and federal officials have said.
On Thursday, the EPA said it has conducted 589 home re-entry screenings and continues constant air monitoring at 16 stations throughout East Palestine. The agency said there have been no exceedances for home air quality standards and outdoor air quality has remained normal.
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