It’s just the beginning of many years of clean-up and health-tracking for people in East Palestine, Ohio. On February third, 2023, the Norfolk Southern train was carrying toxic chemicals and ignited a fire that covered the town in smoke, leaving potent fumes and destruction in its path. Out of fear of an explosion, authorities evacuated citizens living in the evacuation zone- but upon their return home, no problems had been solved.  

After spilling over 100,000 gallons of dangerous chemicals into the local air and water, a cloud of burning vinyl chloride, a flammable carcinogenic gas, butyl acid, and a toxic flammable gas has been loaming over the area. Many of these chemicals also soaked into soil and polluted local water ways. Although the area is now cleared, the 47,000 residents claim to still smell chemical residue in the air, see an oil sheen in the water, and have headaches, burning throats and nausea.

The residents now must live with the fear of uncertain health effects, as each chemical is a respiratory irritant, some with high rates of cancer, and it is unknown how long or much each person breathed in the pollution. 

This accident not only affects Ohio, but could pose long-term, wide-scale effects as well. It is unknown how these chemicals will spread, and the effect that such a large chemical disaster could have on the environment and atmosphere. Texas A & M University studies have found that as with any pollution, this disaster will have a negative effect of global warming.