Ohio Chemical Spill aftermath
This will affect millions of people for decades to come.
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As you've all probably heard by now, a train was derailed in East Palestine, Ohio on February 3rd. Approximately 50 train cars in all were derailed, and 10 of those cars were carrying hazardous materials.
Now, train derailments aren't exactly an uncommon occurrence, mind you. On average, there are 1704 derailment incidents in the United States per year. What is uncommon, however, is a train derailment resulting in a catastrophic environmental disaster.
While this derailment-induced chemical spill isn’t entirely unprecedented, it’s still the worst chemical spill since BP’s deepwater horizon oil spill. So you would think the media would be all over this incident — which some, like myself, consider to be on par with the impact of the meltdown of Chernobyl.
Not exactly. In fact, trying to cover this story seems to carry a penalty.
Evan Lambert, a NewsNation reporter, was arrested while doing a live broadcast during Ohio Governor DeWine's press conference about the Ohio train disaster. After explaining that he has rights under the 1st amendment to be able to do his job and cover the press conference, officers take exception to someone thinking they still have rights in the year of our lord 2023 and they proceed to forcibly take him down to the ground and handcuff him. If that isn't an infringement of Lambert's constitutional rights, I don't know what is. But then constitutional rights violations seem to be par for the course in the United States, these days.
The charges against Lambert have since been dismissed, but the damage has been done, in my eyes.
A local station in Ohio may also shed some light on why there’s so little in the national news cycle about an environmental catastrophe that will affect the lives of millions in the years to come.
We need only hear what a local hazardous materials expert had to say on the matter.
“We basically nuked a town with chemicals so we could get a railroad open,” said Sil Caggiano, a hazardous materials expert who was interviewed by WKBN First News based out of Ohio.
That quote, coupled with the unlawful detainment of Evan Lambert for simply doing his job as a NewsNation reporter, is likely why mainstream news outlets have not given this tragedy the coverage it deserves, choosing to reference it in passing and then move on to Biden shooting down balloons or some other useless distraction story.
Also I imagine Norfolk Southern has either greased some palms or sent out some type of memos to keep the propaganda mills at bay. After all, they’re just a private company, they can do what they want, right, lefties? But I digress.
The situation surrounding the disaster itself seems to get uglier by the day, especially after authorities, in their desperation to avert an explosion and to mitigate seepage of chemicals into soil and waterways, decided that their only option was to attempt burning the volatile chemicals instead. That, of course, is having catastrophic effects on the areas surrounding East Palestine, Ohio, with both Ohio and Pennsylvania being affected as East Palestine lies on the Ohio/Pennsylvania border.
Normally, the old man yelling at clouds meme is funny, but when you know the story behind this video, it’s not that amusing — it’s alarming, and his anger is justified.
While the Governor’s office insisted back on February 8th that it is safe for residents to return home, with many having only gone a few miles away, there are instances of people reporting that their pets, livestock, and thousands of fish have succumbed to the pollution. Young children and adults alike have also been afflicted with sudden bouts of illness related to this disaster.
Chelsea Simpson, a resident of East Palestine, Ohio, spoke to Fox News about what's going on in her hometown and her reticence to trust what authorities are saying about the safety of the town.
"They're saying they tested the air in our homes, and it's safe to go home. But did they test any carpets or couches - anything? That stuff had to settle somewhere in our home,” said Simpson. “I don't feel comfortable being in that town, knowing that I'm letting my children and I breathe something in that we should not be breathing in."
Simpson's 8-month-old daughter also had to be treated for respiratory issues in the aftermath of the controlled burn of the spilled chemicals initiated by Norfolk Southern.
"It was last night when I was laying in bed, my face was on fire, so I got up to check and that's when I noticed the red welts on my face, and my lips had dots on them and were all red and swelled up. And the only thing I could think of that I did different yesterday was return to my home." Simpson said, describing the symptoms she herself experienced.
Keep in mind, this happened to Simpson after returning to her home for about 10 minutes to grab some items she and her family needed from it. That's all it took. And yet Governor DeWine and his lackeys, at the behest of his Norfolk Southern puppet masters, insist that it's safe to return home.
For even more context on how little Norfolk Southern cares about the lives they’ve upended, they told Simpson that despite the fact that her home is within the 1-mile radius surrounding the spill site, she would not be receiving a $1,000 check from the company to ease the financial burden of having to leave home for an extended period of time.
Supposedly, they guaranteed that she would receive reimbursement for costs incurred from the displacement she and her family suffered due to the disaster, yet they still denied her the money. Strange. And telling. They don’t want to pay any more than they have to and it shows in these inhuman practices.
Other instances of poisoning include a fox keeper named Taylor Holzer, who describes the symptoms his animals are suffering, having already lost one fox to the fallout of the chemical spill.
This disaster also has deadly effects on livestock such as chickens. Amanda Brashears, an Ohio resident who lives 10 miles from the East Palestine disaster area reported that her chickens ended up dying in the aftermath of the boneheaded decision to burn off the chemicals.
Canaries in the coal mine, anyone? If the birds are dying, what is it doing to the people?
Maybe that is the plan, to scare people off their land in order to deter any attempts at self-reliance or independent farming operations. You will own nothing, and you will be happy.
America's farming industry very much serves as the world's bread basket, with food exports exceeding $100 billion on a yearly basis, with 2020's exports exceeding $147 billion even with a pandemic on. That number was quickly dwarfed the next year, with U.S. food exports reaching $177 billion in 2021.
And while China and India produce more food than the U.S. — China's output was $1.5 trillion in 2020, and India's output was $404 billion — those two nations tend to keep much of that produce to themselves. So if you're relying on either of them in a time of famine, just know that you'll quite literally be getting the table scraps of 2.8 billion people, or nothing at all.
Naturally, because the U.S. exports so much food, it's an enticing business venture for anyone. But lately, that zeal has been for all the wrong reasons, with malevolent actors like Bill Gates opting to buy up as much farmland as he can for his own nefarious schemes, with his personal farmland ownership pushing 270,000 acres.
Ohio by itself is one of the nation's leading agricultural states, with 44% of the landmass represented as prime farmland. It's also highly valued, commanding prices of $7,550 per acre, 11th in the nation. Pennsylvania's farmland is even more valuable, commanding prices in excess of $8,300 per acre, 8th in the nation. That, of course, is before this mass contamination event facilitated by the vinyl chloride seeping into the Ohio River basin, which is also home to 25 million people.
Wouldn’t it be convenient for these land-grabbers like Bill Gates if the price of that farmland tanked simply because it might be contaminated by Norfolk Southern’s chemical spill, allowing them to buy up valuable farmland for pennies on the dollar?
Just a thought.
So what is Norfolk Southern — the company responsible for this spill and the subsequent blundering of cleanup efforts despite their insistence to the contrary — doing about this? Oh, they set up a $1 million trust — less than a dollar per pound of vinyl chloride they spilled/burned — which should be seen as a slap in the face by the people whose lives have been upended by this situation considering the fact that Norfolk Southern’s valuation currently exceeds $54 billion.
How kind of Norfolk Southern to reach into their pockets and throw the equivalent of pennies at the problem, knowing full well that that won’t even crack a dent in the cost to those afflicted. Especially since we cannot possibly know the far-reaching implications of such a wide scale contamination with so many deadly chemicals.
“We will be judged by our actions," Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw said in a statement. "We are cleaning up the site in an environmentally responsible way, reimbursing residents affected by the derailment, and working with members of the community to identify what is needed to help East Palestine recover and thrive.”
That sure looks like an environmentally responsible way to clean up, alright.
So what is in that demon cloud? And what has already seeped into the soil and water beneath it, that also threatens to travel potentially thousands of miles into other regions of the country and the oceans themselves?
Vinyl chloride
Vinyl chloride is the most abundant chemical found in the East Palestine chemical spill.
Described as a highly volatile and flammable gas with a sweet odor, it may not smell dangerous but trust me, it is. So if anything you smell fits that description that you can't attribute to something else, find a place with fresh air.
Acute exposure to vinyl chloride primarily seems to assault the central nervous system, according to the CDC. Symptoms range from dizziness, ataxia, inebriation, fatigue, numbness and tingling of the extremities, visual disturbances, coma, and death. Vinyl chloride also can irritate the eyes, mucous membranes, and respiratory tract.
Vinyl chloride is also a known human carcinogen, and exposure is associated with an increased risk of a rare form of liver cancer (hepatic angiosarcoma), as well as primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma), brain and lung cancers, lymphoma, and leukemia, according to cancer.gov.
The fateful decision to burn the vinyl chloride had the unfortunate side effect of releasing large amounts of hydrogen chloride and phosgene into the air. That which wasn’t burned also put out formaldehyde and carbon dioxide.
Formaldehyde
According to cancer.gov, formaldehyde’s presence in the air at levels exceeding 0.1 ppm (parts per million) will cause some individuals to suffer adverse effects such as watery eyes; burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and throat; coughing; wheezing; nausea; and skin irritation.
Sensitivity varies among individuals, with some experiencing little or no adverse reactions to it in similarly elevated levels. Still, there are concerns even when you suffer no immediate ill effects.
A study released in 1980 about formaldehyde suggested that it would be pertinent to reduce products in the home that off-gas formaldehyde due to the fact that rats who were exposed regularly to elevated levels of formaldehyde developed nasal cancer.
In 1987, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) listed formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen.
It wasn’t until 2011, however, that formaldehyde was designated as a known human carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program, an interagency program of the Department of Health and Human Services.
”Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a causal relationship between exposure to formaldehyde and cancer in humans. Causality is indicated by consistent findings of increased risks of nasopharyngeal cancer, sinonasal cancer, and lymphohematopoietic cancer, specifically myeloid leukemia among individuals with higher measures of exposure to formaldehyde (exposure level or duration), which cannot be explained by chance, bias, or confounding,” the report on formaldehyde stated. That report can be found here.
Butyl acrylate
This is the other most abundant chemical that was spilled by the train derailment.
Butyl acrylate is a flammable, clear, colorless liquid with a sharp, characteristic odor. So you'll know it when you smell it. The detectable odor threshold is 0.1 parts per billion (ppb) so a little dab will do you, as well.
When burned, butyl acrylate releases carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.
The good news is that, unlike vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate has shown no apparent signs of being a carcinogen even with repeated exposure. Exposure to butyl acrylate can result in irritation of the eyes, skin, and throat. It can also cause difficulty breathing when exposed to the vapor.
So while exposure to butyl acrylate is not good for you, anyone affected by it — so long as they don't bathe in high concentrations of the stuff — should make a full recovery.
Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether
Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (EGBE - that’s the acronym they gave me, anyway) is another common chemical used in various products from spot removers to cosmetics. It’s described as a colorless liquid with a pleasant odor. So at least it smells good. Prolonged exposure can irritate the skin and eyes. It’s acute toxicity is largely predicated on ingestion, there it can harm the kidneys, liver, blood, and central nervous system.
EGBE is deemed “not likely to be a human carcinogen” by the EPA at typical environmental concentrations.
Phosgene
To me, phosgene needs no introduction. It was the type of gas used by the Germans during World War 1 to either flush out, or kill enemy soldiers in entrenched positions when bullets and grenades couldn't reach them. The immediate and severe lung, skin, eye, nose, and throat irritation that it created during exposure made it an effective way to flush people out of trenches to make them easy targets for machine gun fire.
Also known as carbonyl chloride, phosgene is a colorless, fuming liquid below 47°F (8.2°C) and a colorless, nonflammable gas above 47°F (8.2°C) that is used in the manufacturing of chemicals, dyes, polycarbonate resins, and isocyanates, which are used in the manufacturing of polyurethane resins, according to Brittanica.com.
When phosgene is exposed to body tissues, it quickly forms hydrochloric acid to give it its famous quality of burning the flesh that it afflicts for too long. In small amounts, it will be an uncomfortable, but bearable, irritant. In large amounts, it can be lethal.
Benzene
Benzene is another common industrial chemical used in the manufacturing of plastics, rubbers, dyes, detergents, and synthetic fibers. It is a naturally occurring chemical in cigarette smoke, crude oil, and, by extension, gasoline. Another reason to put down the cigarettes. Especially if you're around gasoline.
Benzene is classified by the EPA as a known human carcinogen.
Prolonged exposure to benzene has been linked to diseases like leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, both of which are types of blood cancer.
Dioxins
Dioxins are a particularly nasty group of pollutants that are often created by burning chlorinated hydrocarbons like vinyl chloride. Unlike the other chemicals involved in this spill, dioxins aren't known for going away easily.
Ever heard of Agent Orange? You know, the stuff that the United States used as an herbicide to clear jungles to make it easier to find enemy combatants during the Vietnam war? The stuff that is still causing health problems in indigenous populations and veterans alike? It contains high amounts of a dioxin called TCDD.
Exposure to dioxins has a range of health effects, both debilitating and lethal.
According to the WHO, short-term exposure to elevated dioxin levels can cause skin lesions, such as chloracne and patchy darkening of the skin, as well as altering liver function. Long-term exposure is linked to weakening the immune system, afflicting the developing nervous system such as in children, the endocrine system and reproductive functions as well.
Parkinson's disease has been linked in particular to exposure to Agent Orange, which, as previously stated, contained similar compounds to those that are formed by burning vinyl chloride.
Dioxins are also known human carcinogens. According to the EPA, dioxins are highly toxic and can cause cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, damage to the immune system, and can interfere with hormones.
While it will be years before we know the true scope of the health impacts from this chemical spill and the inept manner in which it was addressed, it pays to be vigilant.
The concerning part of all of this is that the primary way people are exposed to dioxins is through the food chain. It can get into vegetation, as well as the animals that eat it. By extension, dioxins get into human beings when we eat meat and produce that has absorbed dioxins from environmental pollutants such as pesticides and industrial waste. Or, in this case, a bunch of idiots burning hazardous chemicals to get the train tracks cleared a little quicker.
Given also that massive amounts of the foods that go on shelves in every grocery store in the country are produced in the region where this disaster took place, I think we will all have to be more careful. If you're outside of the immediately affected area, start sourcing your food locally. It's much better for you, anyway.
For those in the affected areas, there are solutions that you can obtain as well. Consider building relationships with farmers outside of that zone and acquiring the wholesome foods they offer instead of shopping at your local grocery store. It's a bit more involved, but your body will thank you in the long run.
Authorities claim the water is quite safe
Government response? What government response?
Now with all that has happened, you would think the Biden administration would be jumping at the chance to improve their ailing image by offering whatever the people most affected by this disaster need to get back on their feet, right?
Nope. The current iteration of FEMA under the Biden administration has declined to offer assistance to affected people, citing that Ohio’s state government is not eligible for disaster assistance.
I do understand, though. The money that could have been allocated to the people of East Palestine, Ohio has already been deposited into the Zelenskyy money-laundering machine over in Ukraine. Another $3.75 billion of it.
Besides, Columbiana County — where East Palestine is located — voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2020. Maybe if enough people die, Biden can take that county decisively in 2024 by filling it full of immigrants and letting them vote. A shrewd move by the incumbent to help his chances by allowing the deaths of people who didn’t vote for him.
In conclusion, I’m not a religious man but if you got it in you, I ask that you send a prayer to the people suffering the effects of big business being comfortable with destroying lives for the sake of their bottom line, with the blessing of the politicians they put into power in the first place.