Ohio train disaster exposes the dark side of plastics
chemicalviolence.com
Another industry cover-up?
Despite the EPA’s announcement that it has taken control of the cleanup, Norfolk Southern is still the entity entirely responsible for carrying it out.
The rail company hired private contractor CTEH (Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health), to test air, water and soil quality in East Palestine. According to Mother Jones, The New York Times and Kanekoa News, the company has a history of minimizing the effects of environmental disasters to protect corporations.
CTEH was accused of mishandling data collection in a crude oil spill that happened during Hurricane Katrina, a coal ash spill in Tennessee, a case of defective Chinese drywall affecting Florida Homeowners and the BP oil spill in 2010.
In all of those cases, the Big Chemical corporations used CTEH’s findings to assure people that the chemicals spilled posed no risk to public health — when in fact they did.
Northfolk Southern also hired CTEH when one of its trains derailed in Graniteville, South Carolina, releasing 90 tons of chlorine gas that killed nine people.
The Times reported when CTEH confirmed BP’s assertion that there were “no significant exposures” in the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Nicholas Cheremisinoff, a former Exxon chemical engineer who now consults on pollution prevention said, “It’s essentially the fox guarding the chicken coop.”
According to the Times:
“Another toxicologist familiar with CTEH, who requested anonymity to avoid retribution from the firm, described its chemical studies as designed to meet the goals of its clients.
“‘They’re paid to say everything’s OK,’ this source said. ‘Their work product is, basically, they find the least protective rules and regulations and rely on those.’”
CTEH even provided analysis for Chevron-Texaco when it was sued by tens of thousands of indigenous people for failing to clean up the oil spill on their land in Ecuador.
In that case, CTEH found there was no evidence that the oil spill was related to the health outcomes. Chevron lost that case in an Ecuadorian court.
In East Palestine, there were several reports that residents having their homes tested by CTEH have been asked to sign waivers saying they would not hold Norfolk or their affiliates, including CTEH, responsible for any future liabilities.
Ohio train disaster exposes the dark side of plastics
When officials decided on Feb. 6 to burn off the hazardous chemicals in Norfolk Southern’s derailed freight train in a “controlled burn” in East Palestine, Ohio, the fire released a plume of highly toxic chemicals — many of which are key elements in plastics production. (Article by Brenda...
chemicalviolence.com
Another industry cover-up?
Despite the EPA’s announcement that it has taken control of the cleanup, Norfolk Southern is still the entity entirely responsible for carrying it out.
The rail company hired private contractor CTEH (Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health), to test air, water and soil quality in East Palestine. According to Mother Jones, The New York Times and Kanekoa News, the company has a history of minimizing the effects of environmental disasters to protect corporations.
CTEH was accused of mishandling data collection in a crude oil spill that happened during Hurricane Katrina, a coal ash spill in Tennessee, a case of defective Chinese drywall affecting Florida Homeowners and the BP oil spill in 2010.
In all of those cases, the Big Chemical corporations used CTEH’s findings to assure people that the chemicals spilled posed no risk to public health — when in fact they did.
Northfolk Southern also hired CTEH when one of its trains derailed in Graniteville, South Carolina, releasing 90 tons of chlorine gas that killed nine people.
The Times reported when CTEH confirmed BP’s assertion that there were “no significant exposures” in the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Nicholas Cheremisinoff, a former Exxon chemical engineer who now consults on pollution prevention said, “It’s essentially the fox guarding the chicken coop.”
According to the Times:
“Another toxicologist familiar with CTEH, who requested anonymity to avoid retribution from the firm, described its chemical studies as designed to meet the goals of its clients.
“‘They’re paid to say everything’s OK,’ this source said. ‘Their work product is, basically, they find the least protective rules and regulations and rely on those.’”
CTEH even provided analysis for Chevron-Texaco when it was sued by tens of thousands of indigenous people for failing to clean up the oil spill on their land in Ecuador.
In that case, CTEH found there was no evidence that the oil spill was related to the health outcomes. Chevron lost that case in an Ecuadorian court.
In East Palestine, there were several reports that residents having their homes tested by CTEH have been asked to sign waivers saying they would not hold Norfolk or their affiliates, including CTEH, responsible for any future liabilities.
