A new study reveals that pollution from the East Palestine train derailment in February 2023 spread over 16 states, impacting 14% of the U.S. with unusual but not toxic concentrations.
Kasha Patel reports for The Washington Post.
In short:
- The train accident in East Palestine, Ohio, released pollutants that spread across 16 states.
- Pollutants were detected as far as South Carolina, Wisconsin, and New England, covering 540,000 square miles.
- Although concentrations were low, they were unusually high compared to normal levels, with potential impacts on marine and plant life.
Key quote:
“It’s fairly low concentrations, but they are very high relative to the normal that we typically see.”
— David Gay, lead author of the study
Why this matters:
This incident highlights the widespread impact of industrial accidents on environmental health, emphasizing the need for stringent safety measures and monitoring to protect public health and ecosystems. WATCH: The aftermath of the East Palestine, Ohio, toxic train derailment
