As reports of strange objects in the sky dominate the headlines, another potential danger in the air—vinyl chloride and other chemicals released following a Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border—has received comparatively little publicity, including from some relevant federal authorities.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg didn’t comment on the incident during a Feb. 13 morning appearance at the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference in Washington, though he did mention the safety risks of “balloons,” to laughter from the audience.
