The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- John Furner
The air in East Palestine contains ‘higher than normal’ concentrations of nine potentially harmful chemicals, scientists have suggested.
Experts from Texas A&M and Carnegie Mellon University have been conducting their own air quality tests using a mobile testing unit in East Palestine.
They said that if the chemicals persist at the current levels, it could cause long-term health issues for residents, the researchers warned.
The finding is in direct contrast to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ongoing assurance that the air quality in the area is safe
While they said the findings are not necessarily an ‘immediate health concern’, they said repeated exposure over time could be damaging.
The chemicals on the board the train were vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, benzene residue, glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate and isobutylene
Wade Lovett, 40, has suffered breathing difficulties and his previously low voice now sounds high-pitched and squeaky. He has had to go off work sick as a result
There are already warning signs among residents, including reports of altered voices and rashes that look like chemical burns.
Dr Albert Presto is an associate research professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon’s Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation who is part of the university’s chemical monitoring effort in East Palestine.
He told local news outlet WKBN: ‘That material that’s dumped onto the ground or into the water could reemit from the ground whenever the temperature changes or whenever it’s windy.’
Dr Presto also told CNN: ‘It’s not elevated to the point where it’s necessarily like an immediate “evacuate the building” health concern.
‘But we don’t know necessarily what the long-term risk is or how long that concentration that causes that risk will persist.’
The mobile testing van has been used by the team over the last decade to look at how air pollution varies in places such as Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
They compared their data in East Palestine to levels of the same chemicals recorded this month by the EPA.
As of yesterday, the EPA had screened the air in 578 homes, and declared that the chemical pollution levels are not above residential air quality standards.
A giant plume of smoke from the aftermath of the incident could be seen from miles away
