One Year Later: Communicating PFAS (and the East Palestine train wreck)
JD Solomon
How to Get Your Boss's Boss to Understand by Communicating with FINESSE | Solutions for people, facilities, infrastructure, and the environment.
The result of what happened in East Palestine one year ago is called an environmental cleanup, a toxic waste cleanup, or an environmental catastrophe. Others call what happened a train accident or a train derailment. I call it a train wreck, both literally and figuratively. And contaminants of emerging concern, including PFAS, and long-term health affects have yet to be fully addressed.
At the one-year anniversary, federal and state officials state that everything is safe, and the cleanup is winding down. Yet they also acknowledge that sheens of contamination are still noted in the water and creek sediments are still contaminated.
Some of the lessons learned from the communications lesson learned from the past year are highlighted in this article.
"So, one thing we can agree on is that exposure happened. We have symptoms. It's documented. That's why within today's investigation, you know, I don't think like 80% of the people are making up stuff – those same symptoms. It’s not possible. So, the exposure happened.” - Dr. Arthur Chang, Centers for Disease Control, the first federal or state official to publicly admit impact to residents, four months after the event
?
Some Big Communication Mistakes
According to a recent article by reporter Reid Frazier of The Allegheny Front and NPR, the debate over how the technical and communication aspects of the environmental disaster continue.
Scientist Andrew Whelton and his team from Purdue University deployed to East Palestine, less than one month after the event. Welton became concerned by statements from the EPA and other agencies that he worried were downplaying potential hazards. “The creeks were heavily contaminated two miles downstream, and government statements were that actually the contamination was contained to the derailment site,” he said.
Whelton said there is often a fog of war that local and even federal agencies fall under during a crisis and that these agencies simply aren’t prepared to respond to every contingency. But in many cases, they ask for outside help from academics and other experts. That didn’t happen here, he said.
“In East Palestine, all the agencies basically set up a bubble around themselves and kept Norfolk Southern and their contractors inside the bubble,” Whelton said.
The USEPA defends their response. Debra Shore, the USEPA regional administrator, said the EPA followed the science and the law. And she points out, no one died.
Mark Durno, the USEPA response coordinator, admits that USEPA could have done a better job communicating about potential chemical risks when it let people back into town.
“Instead of just making simple statements that it’s okay to go home, we should have given them more guidance on what that meant. Yeah. What did it mean to come home and, you know, experience some of these odors?” Durno said. “That’s one of the things that we’ll take back, and we’ll analyze, moving forward, for the next one.”
?
How Big Is The Issue?
Last February and March, 528 Ohio residents completed an Assessment of Chemical Exposure (ACE) survey, which included about 6% of Ohio residents who live or work within the 2-mile radius of the derailment site.
Statistically significant, the results support the East Palestine train wreck was the worst environmental disaster in the US in 2023. Nearly everyone in a two-mile radius experienced impacts.
What Were the Main Findings?
Chemical Exposure
Health Effects
?
Residents Are Still Experiencing Sickness
According to reporter Elizabeth Kim of the Cincinnati Enquirer ("East Palestine families say their homes make them sick. They may not have anywhere to go"; January 31, 2024). For example, Ashley “McCollum stopped going back to her East Palestine home when her doctor advised against it. Her boyfriend went back for her, sometimes to feed the family’s lizard or to retrieve the mail. Entering the house made his tongue and lips go numb. He said he would get back to the hotel and pass blood.
Ohio officials announced that it was safe for residents like McCollum to return to East Palestine five days after the February 3, 2023, derailment of a Norfolk Southern train and subsequent release of hazardous chemicals in the town of less than 5,000. But five families who spoke to The Enquirer just before the one-year anniversary say they're still dealing with health problems.
There are no scientific studies yet that prove long-term health effects of chemical exposure from the derailment. But relocated families are still experiencing symptoms and foot many of their medical bills without help from the railroad or the government. They don't consider their East Palestine homes to be safe, and they're worried that moving back will worsen their symptoms.”
?
East Palestine Train Derailment Information
According to the Ohio Department of Environmental Protection (site accessed February 1, 2024)
"You have likely seen the videos of people stirring up the water in creeks causing a sheen to form on the water. Some of the hydrocarbons from the initial fire bonded with sediments. Stirring stagnant sediment from any body of water has the potential to create a sheen. However, we are not seeing these contaminants in the water itself unless the sediments are disturbed.
The cleaning of creek sediment is ongoing through the use of multiple techniques designed to free contamination from within the sediment and capture the contamination with vac trucks. The captured material is collected in storage tanks and sent off for disposal at an approved hazardous waste facility.
It is important to note that this water is not the source for the municipal water supply in East Palestine. This water also is not believed to be the source for private wells. However, we urge private well owners to have their water tested. To request free, private well testing, call 330-849-3919.
The water in Sulphur Run near the derailment site is grossly contaminated. A containment area was created on February 8. Clean water from upstream is being pumped around the containment area to isolate any grossly contaminated water and sediment. This minimizes the amount of contaminants that could flow downstream. Contractors are working to remove the contaminated water in the containment area.
You may notice small spikes in levels of contaminants immediately following rain events. This is because contaminants that have settled to the bottom of the stream are stirred up by increased streamflow.
Sulphur Run flows into Leslie Run, which flows into Bull Creek, which flows into North Fork Little Beaver Creek, which flows into Little Beaver Creek, which empties into the Ohio River.
You may notice small spikes in levels of contaminants immediately following rain events. This is because contaminants that have settled to the bottom of the stream are stirred up by increased streamflow. This can also occur when people or equipment disrupt the streambed and adjacent land areas during the treatment and cleanup processes."
?
USPEA Status Reports
Updates from the East Palestine Train Derailment Emergency Response
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (January 26, 2024)
? Normal operations of the wastewater treatment plant resumed last week, after the plant was temporarily shut down due to maintenance, worker safety, and operational adjustments.
? Norfolk Southern continues to backfill new stone and gravel at former Car Scrapping Area 4 north of Taggart Street near CeramFab.
? Field work to implement requirements of EPA's order to Norfolk Southern to conduct a qualitative assessment and collect sediment/sheen samples in Sulphur Run and Leslie Run is complete. EPA and Ohio EPA are reviewing Norfolk Southern’s proposed approach to conduct additional stream cleanup based upon these assessments.
? The initial work in the underground culverts in East Palestine is complete.
领英推荐
? EPA’s Welcome Center is open by appointment only.
? The most recent monthly East Palestine newsletter was released on January 10, 2024. The next newsletter is expected to be released around February 14.
Response by the Numbers (as of January 25)
? 176,787 tons (estimated) of solid waste shipped.
? 44,384,211 gallons (estimated) of wastewater shipped.
? Confirmation sampling work is approximately 35% complete.
What to Expect Next Week
At the derailment site:
? Increased truck traffic on East Taggart Street.
? Continue site-wide confirmation sampling.
?
USEPA Frequently Asked Questions
The following is a subset of current Frequently Asked Questions published by the USEPA for East Palestine.
What chemicals did the soil sampling plan focus on?
The soil sampling plan focused on determining if the area was impacted by soot and ash from the vent and burn and if the area was significantly impacted compared to areas not impacted by soot and ash. Samples were analyzed for semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and dioxins (including furans). To ensure accuracy, collected samples were split into two, with one portion sent to an EPA laboratory and one sent to a NS laboratory for testing.
What are dioxins and how common are they?
Dioxins are found throughout the world in the environment. Dioxins are a result of industrial processes and other activities such as burning fuels like wood, coal, or oil. Dioxins are called persistent organic pollutants, meaning they take a long time to break down once they are in the environment.
Can I grow a garden at home or plant crops?
Yes. You can continue to use your land as you normally would. Residential soil sampling results are within typical ranges for the area. Follow normal measures like peeling root vegetables and washing leafy greens.
Communicating PFAS and the Palestine Train Wreck
The result of what happened in East Palestine one year ago is called an environmental cleanup, a toxic waste cleanup, or an environmental catastrophe. Others call what happened there a train accident or a train derailment. I call it a train wreck, both literally and figuratively. These are three key lessons learned from the communications train wreck.
?
References
Cover Photo: Krissy Ferguson is comforted by Christa Graves on Wednesday, January 24, 2024. (The Cincinnati Enquirer)
StateImpact Pennsylvania is a collaboration among WITF, WHYY, and the Allegheny Front.
?
Assessment of Chemical Exposure Investigation Results
?
East Palestine families say their homes make them sick. They may not have anywhere to go
?
East Palestine Train Derailment Information
?
USEPA Operational Updates (Status Reports)
?
USEPA Frequently Asked Questions
JD Solomon is the founder of JD Solomon, Inc. and the creator of the FINESSE fishbone diagram. He is the author of?Communicating?Reliability, Risk &?Resiliency?to Decision Makers: How to Get Your Boss’s Boss to Understand?and?Facilitating with FINESSE: A Guide to Successful Business Solutions.
Congratulations on the one-year milestone of insightful reflections ?? Thomas Edison once said - I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work - which resonates deeply with the journey of learning from the East Palestine incident. Your article is a testament to the power of reflection and growth in the face of adversity. Keep inspiring and sharing valuable lessons! ?? #LessonsLearned #Reflection #Growth
Director of Business Development at Tech H2O Flotration
9 个月Great article JD, what is the current status of the water remediation?
Professional Geologist / Soil Scientist - B.F. Environmental Consultants @PACleanwater @KnowYourH2OPath
9 个月This was our attempt https://www.knowyourh2o.com/water-blog/east-palestine-train-derailment-response-the-role-of-the-water-professional-in-emergencies Not in the article - should the the use of the words by Professional "We are not sure". As time passes, I think we will learn that the biggest problem was not the accident, it was the response to the accident that bad things worse and exposed more individuals to exposure risks through multiple pathways. and "The lay public is very distrustful of industry, government agencies, and in some cases professionals, but in many respects too comfortable with the advocates (i.e., groups or agencies that have a larger agenda); ideological views are getting more attention than facts or information."
Operational Safety Consultant | Maritime, Construction & Energy Expert | Fractional Safety Leadership | OSHA/ISO Compliance Specialist | Veteran | California - Nevada - Arizona - Canada | Remote & Travel Ready
9 个月Thanks for the insightful post JD Solomon. The lessons and experiences from the East Palestine derailment are applicable to anyone living near a railway, highway, interstate, or waterway where hazardous materials like PFAS, chlorine, ammonia and others transit on a daily basis. From an emergency planning perspective, East Palestine is yet another reminder that those remote and unlikely possibilities remain possible and worthy of consideration in reaction, response and recovery. The acceptance of risk comes with the responsibility of preparedness for the inevitable.
CMRP | CRL | Maintenance & Reliability Professional | Key Relationship Builder | Driving Industrial Efficiency
9 个月Thank you for your insights JD Solomon. This week, while on a flight, I watched the HBO series on Chernobyl, and I couldn't help but think about the similarities to not only East Palestine, but other man-made environmental catastrophes. It's a shame that it is that way, but it doesn't have to be. People want truth and honesty, but in those situations, no one wants to own accountability. You would think that by now we could do better in all areas, from improvements and safety in our infrastructure, safety in transporting hazardous chemicals, to how we handle accidents when they occur.