A small village in Ohio, 50 miles north of Pittsburgh is facing one of the most devastating man-made disasters ever recorded.
East Palestine has just under 5,000 residents and one could only imagine their terror when they were told to evacuate their homes by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in their backyards on Feb. 3.
Norfolk Southern is one of the largest railroad corporations on this continent and a perfect example of what is wrong with a capitalistic society. Over the previous five years, the corporation has paid its shareholders almost $18 million. Meanwhile, they have put less than half of that amount of money into investing in their railways and operations.
It is this negligence and the desire for businesspeople to line their pockets that cause millions of people each year to face hardship of all sorts. At the time of the derailment, this specific Norfolk Southern train was carrying isobutylene, ethylhexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether and most importantly, vinyl chloride.
Vinyl chloride is mainly used to make polyvinyl chloride, also known as PVC, the same chemical used to make plastic pipes, packaging materials and wire covers. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, inhalation of vinyl chloride can cause disorientation and dizziness, while longer exposure can result in a rare form of liver cancer.
So while publicity stunts like DeWine drinking tap water alongside Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan are trying to mask the severity of the issue, residents of East Palestine are facing contamination and exposure to toxic chemicals.
Not only are people at risk but animals are suffering as well. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has estimated around 3,500 animals have died as a result of the train derailment. However, independent research done by a University of West Virginia student disputes this, saying that they have seen far more deaths.
In the wake of this disaster, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is pushing for stronger rail regulation and more punishments for companies that “break the rules.” This, alongside the EPA ordering Norfolk Southern to handle and pay for the cleanup of the toxic materials, is good news on the surface. However, we have been lied to before.
For years the EPA has fought with General Electric Co. to clean up the Hudson River after dumping polychlorinated biphenyls, one of the world’s most studied environmental contaminants, into the waterway. Superfund sites such as Love Canal have been chalked up as unsavable. Flint, Michigan still does not have clean water to this day.
We live in a horribly unfortunate time where the basic human necessities have been tabled in order for corporations to profit. Industries have gotten away with sweeping one environmental disaster after another under the rug. Living beings are suffering, and all government officials care to do is pose for pictures and make “calls to action.” When will we see these words turn into real action? When will we see the lives of people valued higher than the dollar? How much of this world are we willing to chalk up as uninhabitable? Only time will tell.
Photo by NTSB via YouTube
