On February 3 of 2023, at approximately 9:00 p.m. ET, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Palestine, Ohio U.S.A. While the major news community has finally begun covering the crash in an off handed kind of way, it is important to know that their coverage has been lacking at best. This s an incredibly serious incident that has long lasting ramifications. It is reported that some of these derailed train cars were carrying hazardous materials (a partial list included below).
- -VINYL CHLORIDE
- -DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL
- -ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOBUTYL ETHER
- -ETHYLHEXYL ACRYLATE
- -ISOBUTYLENE
- -BENZENE
These compounds and isomers vary in toxicity, but you should note the extremely dangerous Vinyl Chloride.
What is it?
Vinyl Chloride is classified as a carcinogen (poison). According to PubChem, it is a toxic, colorless, sweet-smelling gas, that is easily ignitable. It has the capacity to become more dangerous depending on its form (if it were to be lit on fire for example, it becomes a toxic gas. Gases like this have been used as a bioweapons in the past).
Beyond this, some of these materials can create other compounds when exposed to the free environment. Vinyl Chloride, as an example, becomes Hydrochloric Acid after being mixed with oxygen. Residents have already reported acid rain in the area.
How is it used?
In the U.S., It is generally used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and has been used as refrigerant.
What are the potential harmful effects if exposed?
Humans:
Exposer, depending on the dose (120,000 ppm for a human adult is deadly), can affect the central nervous system (dealing with the brain and spinal cord) and peripheral nervous system (dealing with the nerves linked to the brain and spinal cord). It could cause liver damage, phenomena, joint and muscle pain, internal and external burns, and may cause cancer in the brain, liver, lymphatic and the lung region of the body as well as produce tumors.
Animals:
There have been reports of deaths in house pets, livestock and aquatic life in the area (some reports show effects to animals nearly 100 miles away). Reports claim that animals died within days and even hours after exposer. There is also picture and video evidence of hundreds of fish floating dead in rivers and lakes in the area. These findings are according to the CDC, EPA, and PubChem, among others.
Does it hurt the environment?
This is a Chernobyl level event that could potentially affect the environment for years. According to NIH, the immediate atmospheric affect could last up to 7 weeks, the immediate environmental affect could last for up to 11 weeks, and the immediate aquatic affect could last up to 16 weeks.
More time and honest study is necessary to understand the real damage done here. It may take decades to understand the consequences.
(These photos show the path and spread of the damaging materials)
How did it happen?
(There is very little information to go on at this point. Further, there is a lot of conflicting information. As such, this information may be out of order and out of date at the time of my publishing). There were reports of leaks in the containers. It was stated that, officials chose to light the gas on fire in hopes of containing the problem. The problem was not fully contained however and there was an explosion.
At this point it is not known what caused the ultimate loss of control that resulted in this final catastrophe. Further (and this is purely rumor), it was theorized that the crash itself occurred due to the push to lower safety measures in order to expedite railroad politics. Again, nothing has officially been stated to this effect. Indeed, the local and federal government have been pretty quiet and suspicious during this entire situation.
What is the Government doing about it?
At this moment, it is unclear what the government’s response will be. Over a week has gone by and the White House has yet to speak to this historical disaster. There has been an almost complete media blackout on the severity of this incident. In fact, citizens and members of the press being arrested or threatened with arrest, for their efforts to disseminate accurate information to the public.
Officials and the EPA have stated that everything was okay and that it is safe to return home (this runs counter to other expert opinions). Yet there is still proof that the environment has damage and may not actually be as safe as people are being led to believe. As compensations for the damage and trouble, the Norfolk Southern company is said to have given residents in the immediate area $5.00.
Final thoughts:
At this point there is not a lot of solid data coming form the media or the government. This is turning out to be a very Soviet like response to an unbelievable disaster. Readers should do all they can to get this information out to the public. This is a huge event. Keep in mind however, that this information is preliminary as it is difficult to obtain answers regarding the crash.
References:
https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/MMG/MMGDetails.aspx?mmgid=278&toxid=51
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Vinyl-Chloride
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