Hello and welcome to AS USA’s live blog on the developments out of East Palestine, Ohio, the site of a catastrophic train derailment that took place on 3 February.
Earlier this month, a Norfolk Southern train traveling through the small town derailed, leading the company to burn millions of gallons of toxic material.
The EPA addressed a letter to the company on Friday, saying that the chemicals “have been and continue to be released to the air, surface soils, and surface waters.” So far, trace amounts of the chemicals, which include, vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, and ethylene glycol monobutyl have been found in several waterways, including the Ohio River.
The EPA is carrying out air quality tests in homes, public buildings, and offices across East Palestine. So far, the levels recorded fall within what is considered safe by the agency’s standards.
