On Feb. 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern train containing toxic chemicals, including vinyl chloride, derailed off the tracks in Ohio, East Palestine, combusting and quickly spreading into the town’s soil, homes and waterways. Residents were promptly evacuated from the town and didn’t return for five days, according to CBS News.
People are quite skeptical over the fact that five days is enough time.
Exposure to these types of chemicals, whether in the air or through contaminated water, can lead to long-term health problems. Residents of East Palestine in the past two weeks have reported rashes, sore throats, nausea and headaches according to CNN. This signifies a physical reaction from exposure to these chemicals. There have even been reports of contamination in the Ohio River, according to BBC, but fortunately, the chemicals have now dissipated into non-threatening levels.
In a press conference on Feb. 15, East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway asked for help from the federal government. Critics are questioning why federal support has come so slowly and why Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has yet to make a visit. The people of East Palestine are facing a catastrophe and, to ensure the chemicals are properly disposed of, they need a proper and competent plan to do so. People are skeptical about whether the government is committed enough to help these people, or if they just want to brush them under the rug.
The Flint, Michigan crisis took almost nine years before water was safe enough to drink. The lingering impacts of this chemical spill may take years to properly take care of. East Palestine deserves full monetary support not only from the government but from Norfolk Southern; the train corporation worth 53 billion dollars according to Market Watch.
It is our responsibility to ensure that the people of East Palestine get the help that they deserve.
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