East Palestine Residents Could See Long-Term Health Concerns From Toxic Chemicals: Researchers

EPA responds, says its data shows levels of '79 monitored chemicals are below levels of concern'

ONG 52nd Civil Support Team members prepare to enter an incident area to assess remaining hazards with a lightweight inflatable decontamination system (LIDS) in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 7, 2023. Ohio National Guard via AP

Weeks after the train derailment carrying hazardous chemicals in Ohio, an analysis shows that residents could be subject to a range of long-term health complications after finding nine air pollutants at higher-than-normal levels.

Researchers at Texas A&M and Carnegie Mellon wrote on Friday that nine out of about 50 chemicals that the Environmental Protection Agency said were present on the train that derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3 are higher concentrations than “normal.” Texas A&M’s account wrote that “if these levels continue, they may be of health concern” and then flagged acrolein—used as a chemical warfare weapon during World War I—as one of particular concern.