American experts in the field of ecology and chemistry said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency on the 14th that the recent toxic chemical spill in Ohio will cause long-term harm to the health of local residents and the ecological environment.
On the evening of the 3rd of this month, a freight train of the Norfolk Southern Railway Company in the United States passed through the town of East Palestine in Ohio due to a mechanical failure, causing about 50 carriages to derail. Ten carriages carried toxic chemicals, five of which carried flammable and carcinogenic vinyl chloride. Emergency personnel carried out a “controlled release” and burning of the vinyl chloride on the 6th to prevent a large-scale explosion.
Evajelos Vallianatos, an ecological strategist who previously worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said the incident would cause long-term damage to the local environment and could even lead to “slow ecological death.” He pointed out that the leaked chemicals include vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, etc. “These substances have been and will continue to be released into the air, surface soil and surface water.”
According to reports, vinyl chloride can cause cancer, inhalation of large amounts can cause death, and its combustion may produce two other dangerous and toxic substances: phosgene and hydrogen chloride. Among them, phosgene is a highly toxic gas that was used as a chemical weapon in World War I.
Valianatos asked: “Who is going to fund their (affected community residents) protection from toxic substances? Who is going to pay for their health care and treatment? What about nature? All the insects (of the affected areas), Frogs, bees, birds and fish either die instantly or survive in degraded ecosystems full of toxic pollutants. Who will clean up their waters and habitats?”
Jay Jones, a professor of biology and biochemistry at Laverney University in the United States, said there is no doubt that there is an increased health risk for local residents because the spilled material will remain in the soil and be absorbed for a long time. “Governments and related businesses have an incentive to say things are safe now, but that may not apply to every household.”
Experts believe that dumping chemicals from the carriages and burning them in the open will exacerbate the hazard. Jones said that the so-called “controlled release” and combustion will still release a large amount of black carbon into the air through the smoke of underburning. Hydrogen chloride, which forms hydrochloric acid when it comes into contact with water, including water in people’s respiratory systems.”
