It’s More Than Just Vinyl Chloride: The Chernobyling of East Palestine, Ohio
Corporate Greed Is Poisoning Us
According to ABC News, “There were more toxic chemicals aboard the train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio than originally reported, new data shows.”
Initially Ohio state health officials were initially concerned about the presence of vinyl chloride, a highly volatile colorless gas produced for commercial uses, which spilled about 50 cars on a Norfolk Southern Railroad train which derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3 while traveling from Illinois to Pennsylvania.
A list of the cars that were involved in the derailment and the products they were carrying released by Norfolk Southern reveal several more toxic chemicals that were released into the air and soil following the crash.
A black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 6 after the controlled detonation of derailed train cars. Photo: Gene J. Puskar/AP
Other Toxic Chemicals Aboard
Other toxins, like phosgene and hydrogen chloride, were emitted in large plumes of smoke during a controlled release and burn, prompting officials to issue mandatory evacuation orders in a one-mile radius of the crash site.
Phosgene was used extensively during World War I as a choking (pulmonary) agent. Among the chemicals used in the war, phosgene was responsible for the large majority of deaths, according to the CDC1.
During or immediately after exposure to dangerous concentrations of phosgene, the following signs and symptoms may develop:
Coughing; Burning sensation in the throat and eyes; Watery eyes; Blurred vision; Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath; Nausea and vomiting; Skin contact can result in lesions similar to those from frostbite or burns
Following exposure to high concentrations of phosgene, a person may develop fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema) within 2 to 6 hours.
Exposure to phosgene may cause delayed effects that may not be apparent for up to 48 hours after exposure, even if the person feels better or appears well following removal from exposure. Therefore, people who have been exposed to phosgene should be monitored for 48 hours afterward. Delayed effects that can appear for up to 48 hours include the following:
Difficulty breathing; Coughing up white to pink-tinged fluid (a sign of pulmonary edema); Low blood pressure; Heart failure
Hydrogen Chloride is corrosive to the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes. Acute (short-term) inhalation exposure may cause eye, nose, and respiratory tract irritation and inflammation and pulmonary edema in humans. Acute oral exposure may cause corrosion of the mucous membranes, esophagus, and stomach and dermal contact may produce severe burns, ulceration, and scarring in humans. Chronic (long-term) occupational exposure to hydrochloric acid has been reported to cause gastritis, chronic bronchitis, dermatitis, and photosensitization in workers. Prolonged exposure to low concentrations may also cause dental discoloration and erosion.
Symptoms from swallowing hydrochloric acid may include:
Mouth and throat burn, causing severe pain; Drooling; Breathing difficulty due to swelling of throat; Severe abdominal pain; Bloody vomiting; Severe chest pain; Fever; Rapid drop in blood pressure (shock)
Symptoms from breathing in hydrochloric acid:
Bluish color to lips and fingernails; Chest tightness; Choking; Coughing up blood; Dizziness; Low blood pressure; Rapid pulse; Shortness of breath; Weakness
If the poison touches your skin or eyes, you may have:
Blisters; Burns; Pain; Vision loss
Among the substances were ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate and isobutylene were also in the rail cars that were derailed, the list shows.
Contact with ethylhexyl acrylate, a carcinogen, can cause burning and irritation of the skin and eyes, and inhalation can irritate the nose and throat, causing shortness of breath and coughing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Acute/Medium Short-Term Exposure
Contact can irritate and burn the skin and eyes.
Breathing Ethyl Acrylate can irritate the nose and throat, irritate the lungs causing coughing and/or shortness of breath.
Higher exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe shortness of breath.
Breathing high levels of Ethyl Acrylate can affect the nervous system causing dizziness, drowsiness, nausea and headache.
Chronic Health Effects
Cancer Hazard
Ethyl Acrylate may be a CARCINOGEN in humans since it has been shown to cause stomach cancer in animals.
Many scientists believe there is no safe level of exposure to a carcinogen.
Reproductive Hazard
There is limited evidence that Ethyl Acrylate may damage the developing fetus.
Other Long-Term Effects
Ethyl Acrylate may cause a skin allergy. If allergy develops, very low future exposure can cause itching and a skin rash.
Very irritating substances may affect the lungs. It is not known whether Ethyl Acrylate causes lung damage.
Isobutylene is a colorless gas, or a liquid under pressure, with a sweet, gasoline odor. It is used in the production of aviation gasoline, resins, other chemicals, and antioxidants for food, packaging, and plastics.2
Inhalation of isobutylene can cause dizziness and drowsiness as well.
Exposure to isobutylene can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat.
Isobutylene can cause headache, dizziness, lightheadedness and fatigue. Higher levels can cause coma and death.
Exposure to ethylene glycol monobutyl ether can caused irritation in the eyes, skin, nose and throat, as well as hematuria, or blood in the urine, nervous system depression, headache and vomiting, according to the CDC.
Effects of short-term exposure
The substance is irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system, blood, kidneys and liver.Inhalation: Cough. Dizziness. Drowsiness. Headache. Nausea. Weakness.
Eyes: Redness. Pain. Blurred vision.
Skin: Dry Skin.
Ingestion: Abdominal pain. Diarrhoea. Nausea. Vomiting.
The toxins that burned in the wreckage have the potential to be deadly, experts told ABC News last week.
The evacuation orders for the residents in East Palestine were lifted on on Feb. 8 after air and water samples that were collected in the region were “deemed safe.” Yet the National Guard has been deployed in the region to disperse bottled water.
Gov. Mike DeWine is holding Norfolk Southern Railway responsible for the Feb. 3 derailment of a train carrying hazardous materials in East Palestine.
Residents in the area have been reporting pets dying, and adverse health symptoms due to the hazardous materials dumped and then burnt off into the ecosystem - contaminating local air, land, and water supplies.
Isobutylene | https://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/1045.pdf