The Ohio train crash on Feb. 3 highlights an essential fact of modern life that we all need to be prepared for: Our world runs, in large part, on toxic chemicals that we may inevitably be exposed to, either through the intentional use of everyday products or accidental exposures such as the derailed train that was carrying a variety of chemical products to Conway, Pennsylvania, from Madison, Illinois.
People living in the area surrounding East Palestine, Ohio, where about 50 cars derailed, are now contending with hazardous materials including vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, and isobutylene. At this point, it’s important that three things happen: that the chemicals are cleaned up, that long-term monitoring ensures the health effects linked to the spill are recognized and treated, and that those now exposed do everything they can to help their body contend with the chemical soup that has crashed into their local environment.
