USA, the poison train derailed in Ohio
In Ohio An unprecedented environmental catastrophe is feared: On the evening of February 3, a freight train carrying highly toxic chemicals derailed, but some wagons are still burning to this day. After the accident, the nearest town, East Palestine, was evacuated: residents reported nausea and health problems; Thousands of chickens and fish have been killed and waterways contaminated. The uncontrolled release of large quantities of hazardous chemicals has indeed contaminated groundwater and would have spread to the catchment area of the country’s most important river, threatening the water resources on which at least 30 million US citizens depend.
Reports of dead animals have multiplied In the weeks following the accident, which culminated in a powerful explosion and a chemical fire that lasted for days, reports of wildlife and fish deaths mounted, while residents of eastern Palestine who were evacuated after the accident had not yet been told if and when they would return to their homes can return. Among the substances diffused into the air and into the soil would be, in addition to the already known vinyl chloride, large quantities of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate and isobutylene, all of which are highly polluting and carcinogenic substances.
“Toxic levels of concern” Ohio health officials conceded Monday that “new data” revealed more chemicals in the derailed train’s 50 tank cars than originally reported. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it had found no “worrying airborne toxin levels attributable to the accident,” but acknowledged that “residents may still notice odors,” and recommended that people be hospitalized , which should show symptoms of poisoning . West Virginia’s governor recommended calm, saying the state water company had stepped up cleaning processes and started drawing water from a high current, the Guyandotte River.
The dispute over the state of the rail network in the USA is increasing While attempts are still being made to assess the impact of the catastrophe, controversy is mounting in the US not only because of the apparent disinterest of national authorities, but also because of the state of the US rail network: In fact, in 2022 alone there were thousands of train derailments that Result of wear and tear on the web, but also of a growing number of acts of sabotage, also investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), for which those responsible are rarely identified.