Chemical Train Disaster in Ohio

On February 3, everything changed for residents of East Palestine, Ohio, when a Norfolk Southern train derailed just outside of town, causing an evacuation and an environmental disaster. Fifty cars of the train derailed, including eleven tankers of highly toxic chemicals. In an effort to stop a catastrophic explosion, emergency responders released five tanker cars of vinyl chloride and ignited the chemicals.

The explosion caused widespread alarm because vinyl chloride, a chemical used to make PVC plastic, is known to cause cancer. When burned, it forms deadly hazardous gasses. One of them, Phosgene, is highly poisonous and was used during World War I as a weapon of mass destruction.

You can help by taking action today—tell Ohio Governor DeWine to declare a State of Emergency and hold a meeting in East Palestine to respond to local needs and concerns!

The situation in East Palestine, Ohio, is changing rapidly. As the fire burned out, residents of the area were told to return, but not to drink the water, and to get their homes checked for poisonous gasses. Polluted water has moved into the Ohio River, threatening hundreds of water systems down river. Sierra Club Ohio is taking direction from the local impacted community and is taking a supportive role. We are coordinating our efforts with counterparts in Pennsylvania and regionally with the People Over Petro Coalition, a network of grassroots organizations from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, resisting petrochemical expansion in the Ohio River Valley. 

Right now, we are hearing from our neighbors in East Palestine that many of them are scared to go back into their homes, scared about the long term health impacts, and that they have a lot of questions that are not being answered. Since the chemical disaster, residents of the surrounding communities have reported the death of pets, livestock, and aquatic life.

Our priority in this effort continues to be to elevate the requests of East Palestine residents and the surrounding areas, and ensure the community is made safe again.

Take action today to support East Palestine—tell Gov. DeWine to declare a State of Emergency and to listen to the community's concerns.

Every year, millions of trains with highly toxic cargo pass close to our homes, schools, and public spaces. This includes poisonous substances like vinyl chloride, as well as coal, oil, and gas. There are simple ways that state and national leaders can ensure that a disaster like this doesn't happen again. This includes requiring better train braking systems and early warning systems. Some materials, like vinyl chloride, are toxic at every stage and should no longer be in use. Unfortunately, rail companies like Norfolk Southern continue to lobby to avoid regulation and safety measures, and they've also slashed their workforce, making an already risky situation even worse.

Urge Governor DeWine to declare a State of Emergency and to immediately hold a meeting in East Palestine with state agencies to respond to local needs.