RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A new extensive report studying the hazardous emissions released following the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, has revealed that those toxins spread far and wide. From Wisconsin to North Carolina, the impact of this derailment reached at least 15 other states — including Virginia.
According to this new research conducted by members of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP), the Feb. 3, 2023 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine — and the subsequent fires, including a “controlled burn” of some of the chemicals the train carried — is believed to have touched the lives of about 110 million Americans, or one-third of the U.S. population.
This was possible due to precipitation and winds in the days following the accident, which carried and spread the toxins.
Including Ohio itself, a total of 16 states were impacted to some extent — Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine.
Summary area of impact, for the first week of the accident, based upon the sum of chemical analytes above the 99th percentile of historic measurement. Red indicators show the number of precipitation analyte concentrations above the 99th percentile. Sites with samples (green, ‘0’) and without samples (grey, dry samples or ‘−1’) are included. (Photo: NADP Research)
The majority of the impact in Virginia appears to be in the southwestern portion of the state, potentially affecting areas like Roanoke and Blacksburg.
Some of the 50 cars involved in the crash and derailment carried volatile substances, such as vinyl chloride, 2-butoxyethanol and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate.
On Feb. 6, 2023, fire officials conducted a “controlled release and burn” of five cars carrying the first of those — specifically vinyl chloride monomer (VCR).
Snow and rain throughout the affected states in the week following the accident were tested for this chloride. David Gay, the lead study author and a University of Wisconsin researcher, told NewsNation that his team was shocked by the results.
“These were some of the highest, if not the highest, we had seen in the last 12 years,” Gay told NewsNation. “That fire touched a lot of points in the Midwest and the Northeast. We’re all breathing the same atmosphere. That’s a take-home story.”
Wet deposition observations from 31 January through 7 February 2023 for (A) precipitation pH (pH units), (B) pH percentiles as compared to 2011 through 2021 wintertime observations, (C) chloride ion concentrations in precipitation (mg l−1), and (D) chloride ion percentiles as compared to 2011 through 2021 wintertime observations. The location of the East Palestine train accident is marked with the star. (Photo: NADP Research)
It is also believed that these chemicals made it to Canada, though specific data on the Canadian impact could not be provided.
“From these two maps, it is very clear that extreme concentrations of multiple pollutants were present over a widespread area during the days after the accident, and resulted in enhanced deposition of these pollutants to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, including the Lakes Michigan, Erie, Ontario, and likely Huron and Superior,” the report reads.
MORE: Toxins from Ohio train derailment may have spread to 16 states, including Virginia, data shows
According to this new research, it is highly probable that the source of these toxic emissions was the combustion of the train cargo and the methods used to suppress the fire. The report did provide some alternative explanations, but explained how each was much less likely of a culprit than the combustion.
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A new extensive report studying the hazardous emissions released following the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, has revealed that those toxins spread far and wide. From Wisconsin to North Carolina, the impact of this derailment reached at least 15 other states — including Virginia.
According to this new research conducted by members of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP), the Feb. 3, 2023 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine — and the subsequent fires, including a “controlled burn” of some of the chemicals the train carried — is believed to have touched the lives of about 110 million Americans, or one-third of the U.S. population.
This was possible due to precipitation and winds in the days following the accident, which carried and spread the toxins.
Including Ohio itself, a total of 16 states were impacted to some extent — Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine.
Summary area of impact, for the first week of the accident, based upon the sum of chemical analytes above the 99th percentile of historic measurement. Red indicators show the number of precipitation analyte concentrations above the 99th percentile. Sites with samples (green, ‘0’) and without samples (grey, dry samples or ‘−1’) are included. (Photo: NADP Research)
The majority of the impact in Virginia appears to be in the southwestern portion of the state, potentially affecting areas like Roanoke and Blacksburg.
Some of the 50 cars involved in the crash and derailment carried volatile substances, such as vinyl chloride, 2-butoxyethanol and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate.
On Feb. 6, 2023, fire officials conducted a “controlled release and burn” of five cars carrying the first of those — specifically vinyl chloride monomer (VCR).
Snow and rain throughout the affected states in the week following the accident were tested for this chloride. David Gay, the lead study author and a University of Wisconsin researcher, told NewsNation that his team was shocked by the results.
“These were some of the highest, if not the highest, we had seen in the last 12 years,” Gay told NewsNation. “That fire touched a lot of points in the Midwest and the Northeast. We’re all breathing the same atmosphere. That’s a take-home story.”
Wet deposition observations from 31 January through 7 February 2023 for (A) precipitation pH (pH units), (B) pH percentiles as compared to 2011 through 2021 wintertime observations, (C) chloride ion concentrations in precipitation (mg l−1), and (D) chloride ion percentiles as compared to 2011 through 2021 wintertime observations. The location of the East Palestine train accident is marked with the star. (Photo: NADP Research)
It is also believed that these chemicals made it to Canada, though specific data on the Canadian impact could not be provided.
“From these two maps, it is very clear that extreme concentrations of multiple pollutants were present over a widespread area during the days after the accident, and resulted in enhanced deposition of these pollutants to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, including the Lakes Michigan, Erie, Ontario, and likely Huron and Superior,” the report reads.
MORE: Toxins from Ohio train derailment may have spread to 16 states, including Virginia, data shows
According to this new research, it is highly probable that the source of these toxic emissions was the combustion of the train cargo and the methods used to suppress the fire. The report did provide some alternative explanations, but explained how each was much less likely of a culprit than the combustion.