Posted on Mar 11, 2023
Dioxins have forced entire towns to relocate. Testing could reveal if they threaten East...
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When the Environmental Protection Agency last week ordered testing for dioxins after the recent train derailment and fire in East Palestine, Ohio, it acknowledged that residents could be facing a familiar and infamous foe from its past.
Contamination by dioxins — toxic chemicals known to cause cancer, disrupt the immune system and cause reproductive harms — have been at the center of notorious environmental cleanups from Times Beach, Missouri to Love Canal, New York to “Mount Dioxin” in Pensacola, Florida.
Dioxins don’t break down easily. Once in the food chain, the compounds tend to accumulate in people and animals. In key ways, the smoke-belching fire in East Palestine offered the right recipe to create these compounds, experts say.
Contamination by dioxins — toxic chemicals known to cause cancer, disrupt the immune system and cause reproductive harms — have been at the center of notorious environmental cleanups from Times Beach, Missouri to Love Canal, New York to “Mount Dioxin” in Pensacola, Florida.
Dioxins don’t break down easily. Once in the food chain, the compounds tend to accumulate in people and animals. In key ways, the smoke-belching fire in East Palestine offered the right recipe to create these compounds, experts say.
Dioxins have forced entire towns to relocate. Testing could reveal if they threaten East...
Posted from nbcnews.com
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Posted 1 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Experts said a transparent sampling plan should be made available to the public.
“Are they going to sample the air, the soil, the sediment, the water? What are they going to sample and how many locations will they sample?” said Stephen Lester, a toxicologist and the science director of the Center for Health, Environment & Justice. “Sampling results are only as good as the sampling procedures.”
Schettler questioned whether Norfolk Southern should be overseeing sampling efforts, given the legal and economic implications if dioxins are discovered and the scientific precision needed for public confidence.
“Norfolk should pay for the analysis; the public shouldn’t pay for it. But Norfolk Southern shouldn’t do the analysis,” Schettler said. “It really needs to be done by the agency or a disinterested third party.”
..."Experts said a transparent sampling plan should be made available to the public.
“Are they going to sample the air, the soil, the sediment, the water? What are they going to sample and how many locations will they sample?” said Stephen Lester, a toxicologist and the science director of the Center for Health, Environment & Justice. “Sampling results are only as good as the sampling procedures.”
Schettler questioned whether Norfolk Southern should be overseeing sampling efforts, given the legal and economic implications if dioxins are discovered and the scientific precision needed for public confidence.
“Norfolk should pay for the analysis; the public shouldn’t pay for it. But Norfolk Southern shouldn’t do the analysis,” Schettler said. “It really needs to be done by the agency or a disinterested third party.”
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I'm confused. The EPA and politicians supporting their findings were all over the news just a couple of weeks back telling everyone that there were no lasting environmental hazards (after the contaminated soil is removed), the water was safe to drink, etc.
Now, this may turn out to be nothing and the previous statements could be absolutely true, but the bottom line is there is a lot more that needs to be looked at to be sure.
The EPA said the air was safe to breath after the towers came down ... until it wasn't.
The EPA said the water was safe to drink in Flint, Michigan ... until it wasn't.
Is there any reason that people are skeptical when the government tells you that "our experts have concluded it's all good"?
The EPA does a lot of good, but just like the media, when it says something that doesn't synch with common sense, you need to take a much harder look.
Even a good handyman lives by the adage of, "Measure twice, cut once" (in my case, since I don't claim to be a "good" handyman ... it's measure a half-dozen times and then get someone to recheck my work). So too for situations like these.
Now, this may turn out to be nothing and the previous statements could be absolutely true, but the bottom line is there is a lot more that needs to be looked at to be sure.
The EPA said the air was safe to breath after the towers came down ... until it wasn't.
The EPA said the water was safe to drink in Flint, Michigan ... until it wasn't.
Is there any reason that people are skeptical when the government tells you that "our experts have concluded it's all good"?
The EPA does a lot of good, but just like the media, when it says something that doesn't synch with common sense, you need to take a much harder look.
Even a good handyman lives by the adage of, "Measure twice, cut once" (in my case, since I don't claim to be a "good" handyman ... it's measure a half-dozen times and then get someone to recheck my work). So too for situations like these.
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