One of the most well-known ornamental trees in our region is now banned in Ohio. A new agricultural law focuses on a common pear tree in the area.
Strange odours and dead animals were reported by residents who returned to East Palestine, Ohio after evacuation orders were lifted following the crash.
He speculated that five to 20 years down the line, locals may see clusters of cancer diagnoses. The regulators specifically killed a provision for trains carrying hazardous flammable materials to be equipped with an electronic braking system. As the toxic chemicals were drained into a trench, crews ignited a controlled burn to get rid of the substances. The village’s drinking water system is being tested daily and is safe, he said. Authorities, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said air and water samples had been analyzed and came back normal. A couple who live about five miles from where the train derailed spotted hundreds of dead fish, belly up in the local tributary, Leslie Run. Officials said they observed a “drastic temperature change” in one of the rail cars, and feared a potential explosion could send shrapnel flying up to a mile. The remaining residents in the town frantically packed overnight bags and some were forced to leave beloved pets behind. To avert the explosion, crews released the contents of five tankers full of vinyl chloride, an extremely combustible substance that is used in plastic production. border, played host to a nightmarish scenario earlier this month when a [train crashed](https://globalnews.ca/news/9460412/50-car-train-derailment-fire-ohio/) and exploded, spewing toxic chemicals into the environment. A new lawsuit aims to get the company to pay for medical examinations for locals in case there are long-term health impacts associated with the leaked chemicals. Residents who returned to the town of East Palestine after evacuation orders were lifted reported strange odours and dead animals, leaving some locals questioning if it truly is safe to return home.
The 150-car Norfolk Southern freight train was pulling at least five tanker cars containing vinyl chloride, a colorless but hazardous gas.
The big picture: The EPA sent Norfolk Southern a "General Notice of Potential Liability" letter on Feb. 6, creating a [massive smoke plume](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJyHH8TiKCo)above the town for several hours. 12 it had not detected any "levels of concern" of hazardous substances released during or after the crash, though it said it was continuing to monitor the air throughout East Palestine, including inside at least 210 homes. A 150-car Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous chemicals and other material derailed in the town of East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. [ethylene glycol monobutyl ether](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/2-Butoxyethanol), [ethylhexyl acrylate](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/2-Ethylhexyl-acrylate), [isobutylene](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Isobutylene) and [butyl acrylate](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Butyl-acrylate), according to [a list sent by Norfolk Southern](https://response.epa.gov/sites/15933/files/TRAIN%2032N%20-%20EAST%20PALESTINE%20-%20derail%20list%20Norfolk%20Southern%20document.pdf) to the EPA, which released it on Feb. [White House pushing railroad companies to provide paid sick leave](https://www.axios.com/2023/02/09/white-house-biden-administration-railroad-companies-paid-sick-leave) [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/15/business/economy/railroad-workers-strike.html). - In the list, Norfolk Southern said the cars carrying the butyl acrylate and the ethylhexyl acrylate were breached and either all or some of the chemicals were released during the crash. [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/02/12/east-palestine-ohio-derailment-residents/). [so crews released and burned](https://www.axios.com/2023/02/06/ohio-train-derailment-chemical-release-evacuations)their contents on Feb. [vented and burned carcinogenic chemicals](https://www.axios.com/2023/02/06/ohio-train-derailment-chemical-release-evacuations) from cars involved in the fiery crash. [a classified human carcinogen](https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/vinyl-chloride-national-emission-standards-hazardous-air), in the air has been linked to central nervous system effects, while chronic exposure has been shown to cause liver damage, including a rare form of liver cancer, according to the [EPA](https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/vinyl-chloride.pdf).
Air monitoring continues in East Palestine after the crews released a number of toxic chemicals in what officials called a "controlled explosion" last week.
[list](https://response.epa.gov/sites/15933/files/TRAIN%2032N%20-%20EAST%20PALESTINE%20-%20derail%20list%20Norfolk%20Southern%20document.pdf), written by Norfolk Southern, of the toxic chemicals that were in the derailed cars. [several other hazardous chemicals](https://response.epa.gov/sites/15933/files/FINAL%20East%20Palestine%20Train%20Derailment%20Air%20Monitoring%20FAQ%202.9.23.pdf), including phosgene and hydrogen chloride, which are released by burning vinyl chloride. When it is spilled in soil or surface water, the chemical evaporates into the air quickly, according to the Ohio Department of Health. It it commonly used to make polyvinyl chloride or PVC, which is a kind of plastic used for pipes, wire and cable coatings and car parts. She also advises vacuuming carefully in short bursts to try to prevent contaminants from moving into the air. There are 181 homes left to be evaluated in the voluntary indoor air screening program. 6, crews conducted what officials called a "controlled release" of the hazardous chemicals which caused a large plume of black smoke. 3, about 50 cars of a Norfolk Southern train went off track in Ohio, causing a days-long fire in the area. Ten of the 50 derailed cars contained hazardous chemicals including butyl acrylate and vinyl chloride, which were among combustible liquids that authorities feared could set off Residents of East Palestine were later asked to evacuate out of precaution. The agency added that vinyl chloride and hydrogen chloride have not been detected in the 291 homes that have been screened as of Monday. Local officials have insisted that the air is safe to breathe and the water is safe to drink in East Palestine.
On the list: The Garst Museum in Greenville, Port Clinton and more!
[Yellow Springs](https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2022/08/17/yellow-springs-travel-guide) of course! If you are a [movie lover](https://www.npr.org/2011/08/04/138986482/on-location-mansfield-ohios-shawshank-industry) it is a no-brainer, but even if you are not, it is a fascinating historical location and an architectural marvel. [Ohio State Reformatory](https://www.mrps.org/) in Mansfield is a must-see.
Officials say it is safe for Ohio residents to return home after a train derailment in East Palestine caused toxic chemical to spill into the environment, ...
[CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP](https://foxnews.com/DOWNLOAD) [Sen. "This is a complex environmental disaster with impacts that may be difficult to assess in the short term," Vance said. Norfolk Southern said in a news release Monday that more than 340 in-home air tests conducted since the accident have "not shown any detections of substances related to the incident and does not indicate a health risk." 8 that 3,500 fish were killed in the aftermath of the accident. The EPA, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), and other agencies are working with the train company, Norfolk Southern, to monitor the fallout from the accident. "Five railcar tankers of vinyl chloride were intentionally breached; the vinyl chloride was diverted to an excavated trench and then burned off. ODNR said Monday that wildlife officers have found dead fish within about a 7.5-mile radius of the chemical spill. "If it can do this to chickens in one night, imagine what it’s going to do to us in 20 years." Norfolk Southern told WKBN that in the company's initial response at the site, some soil was moved around as workers moved equipment and began cleanup. 10, the EPA informed Norfolk Southern the company bore liability for cleanup and warned some contaminated soil was not disposed of correctly, However, some of those who have done so have reported sick and dying animals in the area. 7 that air and water testing showed it was safe for residents to return home.
Residents around East Palestine fear they, their animals and water sources were exposed to hazardous chemicals.
[Earthquake death toll tops 35,000 as the number of survivors found drops to a handful in devastated Turkey and Syria](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/turkey-syria-earthquakes-death-toll-tops-35000-rcna70333) [1 dead after U-Haul truck hits and injures 9 people in a 'violent rampage' in Brooklyn, police say](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/u-haul-driver-custody-multiple-people-are-struck-injured-brooklyn-poli-rcna70414) [Dual weather systems to bring snow, severe storms and high winds across the U.S. Short-term exposure to high concentrations can cause drowsiness, loss of coordination, disorientation, nausea, headache or burning or tingling, [according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/MMG/MMGDetails.aspx?mmgid=278&toxid=51). [said Wednesday](https://governor.ohio.gov/media/news-and-media/east-palestine-update-residents-can-safely-return-home-02082023) that residents could return home after air quality samples "showed readings at points below safety screening levels for contaminants of concern." The day before, rail operator Norfolk Southern had burned train cars carrying vinyl chloride — a flammable gas — to [prevent an explosion](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/explosion-possible-wake-ohio-train-derailment-involving-hazardous-mate-rcna69243). "When they combusted the materials, they created other chemicals. Their livelihoods might be at stake here." "Our eyes were burning, and my face could feel it." The question is what did they create?" Jenna Giannios, 39, a wedding photographer in nearby Boardman, said she has had a persistent cough for the past week and a half. Another 218 homes had yet to be screened as of Sunday, "I'm concerned with the long-term heath impact. "Don't tell me it's safe.
The aftermath of an Ohio train derailment accident, which released toxic chemicals into the environment, has been haunting residents in the affected area ...
Zhang Zan [pseudonym], a Chinese student in Ohio said she saw little mainstream media coverage of the story in previous days. Stew Peters, a US journalist, posted on Twitter on Monday with shocking video of the explosion saying that "This is Ohio's Chernobyl. . As of time of press, three or the 50 most searched topics on China's Sina Weibo were related to the Ohio incident. US law enforcement officers interrupted NewsNation correspondent Evan Lambert as he broadcast from the disaster zone and arrested the journalist on February 8 under the name of criminal trespassing and resisting arrest. On Sunday, the US Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], after monitoring the air, said it had not detected contaminants at "levels of concern" in and around East Palestine, although residents may still smell odors. Those toxic substances can enter human bodies, go into water body and air, and cause serious damage to people and the environment, said Ding. Chinese experts warned that the chemical leak accident, "underestimated by the US," poses a serious safety hazard for Americans living in the affected area, with lingering effects of at least 20 years. Many people are now stockpiling mineral water, for fearing the water may be contaminated, some supermarkets are even out of stock of bottled water, said one Chinese student surnamed Xu. They also believe US authorities' "controlled burn" of the toxic gas could release more lethal substance into the environment, which they said fully exposed US government's irresponsible attitude toward people's health. Yet residents feared for their health as concerns have mounted about the aftermath the chemical leak caused to the environment. Many residents living near the affected area took to social media to report their symptoms after the accident. This photo taken with a drone shows portions of a Norfolk and Southern freight train that derailed on Feb.
On Feb. 3, a train derailed in the village of East Palestine, setting off evacuation orders, a toxic chemical scare and a federal investigation.
“The assessment phase that will occur after the emergency is over will help to determine that information.” is still investigating the cause of the derailment. Residents have complained about headaches and feeling sick since the derailment. Just after the derailment, about 1,500 to 2,000 residents in East Palestine were told to evacuate the area. But it installed a secondary intake on the Guyandotte River in case an alternate source was needed. on Feb. 6, and the contents were diverted to a trench and burned off. [said](https://response.epa.gov/site/site_profile.aspx?site_id=15933) it had not detected contaminants at “levels of concern” in and around East Palestine, although residents may still smell odors. [said](https://response.epa.gov/sites/15933/files/Norfolk%20Southern%20East%20Palestine%20Train%20Derailment%20General%20Notice%20Letter%202.10.2023.pdf) that about 20 rail cars were reported to have been carrying hazardous materials. About 50 of the train’s 150 cars ran off the tracks on its route from Madison, Ill., to Conway, Pa. [vinyl chloride](https://response.epa.gov/sites/15933/files/TRAIN%2032N%20-%20EAST%20PALESTINE%20-%20derail%20list%20Norfolk%20Southern%20document.pdf), a toxic flammable gas, being of most concern to investigators. In early February, a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in eastern Ohio, igniting a fire that swept the town of East Palestine in smoke.
Some people who live near the derailment site in East Palestine, Ohio, fear they and their animals may be exposed to chemicals through the air, water and ...
Short-term exposure to high concentrations can cause drowsiness, loss of coordination, disorientation, nausea, headache or burning or tingling, [according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/MMG/MMGDetails.aspx?mmgid=278&toxid=51). "When they combusted the materials, they created other chemicals. [said Wednesday](https://governor.ohio.gov/media/news-and-media/east-palestine-update-residents-can-safely-return-home-02082023) that residents could return home after air quality samples "showed readings at points below safety screening levels for contaminants of concern." The question is what did they create?" Their livelihoods might be at stake here." "Our eyes were burning, and my face could feel it." Jenna Giannios, 39, a wedding photographer in nearby Boardman, said she has had a persistent cough for the past week and a half. The day before, rail operator Norfolk Southern had burned train cars carrying vinyl chloride — a flammable gas — to [prevent an explosion](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/explosion-possible-wake-ohio-train-derailment-involving-hazardous-mate-rcna69243). Another 218 homes had yet to be screened as of Sunday, "I’m concerned with the long-term heath impact. [a letter](https://response.epa.gov/sites/15933/files/Norfolk%20Southern%20East%20Palestine%20Train%20Derailment%20General%20Notice%20Letter%202.10.2023.pdf) to Norfolk Southern that chemicals carried on the train "continue to be released to the air, surface soils, and surface waters." "Don’t tell me it’s safe.
It appears unlikely that Ohio, Michigan and Ontario will meet goal of reducing phosphorus runoff into Lake Erie by 40%.
Currently about 35% or 1.5 million acres of Lake Erie’s western Ohio watershed is under a voluntary nutrient management plan, she said, but the commission would like to see that figure at 60% or higher. Meanwhile, there’s been an increase in heavy storms related to climate change that are contributing to the problem. “Bold action is needed to meaningfully reduce western Lake Erie’s harmful algal bloom problem that threatens our drinking water, recreation, and regional economy,” the overview states. In doing so, more conservation easements will need to be obtained. Mike DeWine in 2019, that compensates farmers for taking voluntary steps to improve the management of their fields, and also provides funding to enhance wetlands. Ohio, Michigan and Ontario in 2015 committed to a 40% reduction in total phosphorus inputs into Lake Erie by 2025, in an effort to mitigate the problem of harmful algal blooms in the western basin of Lake Erie, which extends east from Michigan to about Huron, Ohio, but progress toward that objective has not kept pace.
Also today: Local US leaders join a push for guaranteed income programs, and finding love in the gig economy.
[our series](https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2022-black-women-thrive-new-york-city-culture/) on [making cities livable](https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2022-smart-cities-black-women-entrepreneurs/) for Black women, contributor Tara L. Today on CityLab: [Living in the Shadow of Statistics in Rust Belt Ohio](https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2023-elyria-ohio-black-women/?srnd=live-events-v2&sref=0IejgNtz) Its current landscape has been shaped by the mass migration of Black Americans at the turn of the 20th century, but also a grim history of racial violence and economic hardship.