Stephen Lester is the science director with the Center for Health, Environment & Justice.
The Center works with grassroots groups around the US that are dealing with toxic chemical problems.
On February 3rd, 2023 a train derailment occurred in East Palestine, Ohio.
Approximately 38 cars derailed, 10 - 12 of which contained toxic chemicals of the likes of
vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, benzene, ethyl hexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether.
Stories like these have the tendency to make headlines and then disappear quickly from public conscience, owed to the fact that big things happen every other day.
So , we are revisiting the event, looking at the actions that were taken, or rather not taken by the authorities, the EPA and Norfolk Southern (the company owning the freight train that carried the chemicals), shedding light on the impact of the chemicals released on life and health, now and in the future.
We ask questions like:
-Was the action taken after the event appropriate?
-Why wasn't the EPA testing for specific chemicals?
-Was it necessary for Norfolk Southern to conduct a controlled burn of the already spilled chemicals?
-Why were people told to return home BEFORE any testing was done?
Stephen remarks that the choice of the EPA to only test for generic classes of groups of chemicals instead of testing for specific chemicals for the first few weeks was "pretty inadequate and really poorly planned".
He also states that until he came onto the scene, raising the issue of dioxins, no one seemed to be aware that this was something to be concerned about.
In fact the EPA had even said that there was NO reason to test for dioxins in the area.
Following public pressure the EPA then did not test for dioxins themselves but asked the company to do its own testing.
Norfolk Southern hired a consultant who put together a proposal, which Stephen noted, left much to criticize.
So the company who was responsible for the disaster was told to do their own testing for dioxins, which they have not released the results on.
Of course many questions were raised about the integrity of this testing.
We are once again missing accountability and appropriate conduct from a company responsible for damage to life on earth.
Thank you to Stephen and people like Lois Gibbs, who founded the
Center for Health, Environment & Justice
for supporting communities on the ground at times where support and guidance is desperately needed🌱☀
Read the article Stephen wrote for the Guardian here: "Here's the real reason the EPA doesn't want to test for toxins in East Palestine"
Thank you for listening to this Talk🌊☀🌍
which came alive through the voices of
Stephen Lester
and your host Stella Sage🌿
