Experts Fail to Gauge , Potential Health Implications, of Ohio Chemical Spill.
Experts Fail to Gauge , Potential Health Implications, of Ohio Chemical Spill.
ABC News reports that over a week after officials burned
hazardous waste following a train derailment in Ohio,
the potential health and environmental impacts remain unknown.
ABC News reports that over a week after officials burned
hazardous waste following a train derailment in Ohio,
the potential health and environmental impacts remain unknown.
ABC News reports that over a week after officials burned
hazardous waste following a train derailment in Ohio,
the potential health and environmental impacts remain unknown.
Several of the train cars contained vinyl chloride, a hazardous chemical that breaks down into hydrogen chloride and phosgene, which was used in chemical warfare in WWI. .
Vinyl chloride is classified as a known
carcinogen to humans … it has been
associated with a rare form of liver cancer
called hepatic angiosarcoma. So that's
the main concern with the vinyl chloride, Dr. Stephanie Widmer, emergency medicine physician
and medical toxicologist in New York, via ABC.
According to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, breathing high levels of vinyl
chloride can lead to passing out or death.
According to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, breathing high levels of vinyl
chloride can lead to passing out or death.
However, ABC reports that experts say
determining the potential risk to the public
following a disaster of this nature is difficult. .
It's always challenging to evaluate
the human health risks from a chemical
spill and it increases exponentially
when those chemicals burn, Stephen Roberts, Ph.D., professor emeritus and former
director of the Center for Environmental and Human
Toxicology at the University of Florida, via ABC.
According to a statement from the Environmental
Protection Agency, air monitoring has not detected any
levels of concern since the fire went out on February 8.
People should be concerned when things
like these do happen, but there's no need
to be hysterically concerned. The EPA is
keeping everybody up to date with the
information that we need to stay safe, Dr. Stephanie Widmer, emergency medicine physician
and medical toxicologist in New York, via ABC.
People should be concerned when things
like these do happen, but there's no need
to be hysterically concerned. The EPA is
keeping everybody up to date with the
information that we need to stay safe, Dr. Stephanie Widmer, emergency medicine physician
and medical toxicologist in New York, via ABC.
According to the Ohio governor's office,
water testing results showed no sign
of contamination in the city's water system. .
According to the Ohio governor's office,
water testing results showed no sign
of contamination in the city's water system.
