OHIO: UPDATES: Evacuation lifted, roads reopened after chemical leak in Whitewater Township

[Mary Wilson]

Updated: 10:08 PM EDT Sep 25, 2024
Emily Sanderson

WHITEWATER TOWNSHIP, Ohio —
An evacuation order has been lifted after a dangerous chemical leak in Whitewater Township that began Tuesday afternoon. ...

LATEST UPDATES:

• In an update at 7 p.m. Wednesday night, officials said the train car that was leaking has been removed and taken to its original destination. There is no ongoing threat to the public at this time.
• According to the Hamilton County EMA, the evacuation order has been lifted and residents are permitted to return to their homes. People within half a mile from the leak were evacuated on Tuesday afternoon. ...
• Central Railroad of Indiana, who owns the tracks, said the rail car began venting styrene around 1 p.m. Tuesday. The probable cause was the additive stabilizer in the car became ineffective. The car stopped venting late Tuesday night. ...
• U.S. EPA officials on scene say they have set up three fixed air monitoring stations and a rover collecting air quality readings. So far, the air quality has been deemed safe but will continue to monitor. ...
• 14 other cars on the track were also carrying styrene and have been moved to a facility to be monitored. ...
• Feagins said any food, including pet food, that was left outside before the evacuation should be disposed of out of precaution.
• Anyone who would like to have their water checked can call 513-946-7966, Feagins said. ...

Vulnerable populations, like pregnant women, the elderly or those with respiratory issues, are advised to talk to your doctor if you think you could have been exposed. ...

Hamilton County Public Health recommends that residents discard any unpackaged food within their homes within the evacuation zone.

Video:

https://www.wlwt.com/article/chemical-leak-hazmat-state-route-128-shelter-in-place/62353528

[Mary Wilson]

What is styrene?

Styrene is a harmful chemical used in the production of polystyrene, a widely used plastic that harms health and the environment during production, use, and disposal.[1] It is also used to make high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and other plastics. Styrene is associated with increased risk of leukemia and lymphoma, and can be found in air, water, and soil.[1, 2] Despite its known health hazards, companies continue to produce styrene to make plastics and rubber with end uses in packaging, building materials like insulation, and food-contact items.[1]

How am I exposed to styrene?

From production and use to disposal, styrene poses serious threats to human health and the environment since it gets released into air, water, and soil by styrene and plastics manufacturers.[3] While styrene has been detected in water and soil, the main way people can be exposed is by breathing in contaminated air; workers in industries using styrene have the highest exposure.[4]

• Air: in 2022, U.S. facilities reported releasing 32 million pounds of styrene into the air, exposing workers at styrene plants and communities living nearby to contaminated air.[3] Cars and cigarette smoke are also sources.
• Water: styrene has been detected in groundwater and drinking water. People can be exposed to styrene by drinking contaminated drinking water.[1]
• Consumer products: people can be exposed to styrene through ingestion, since styrene can leach from polystyrene food-contact items and has been found at low levels in food, and from breathing in indoor air contaminated by styrene emitted from building materials.[5, 6]

Why should I be concerned?

Styrene has been identified as a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP).[1, 7] More than 10 billion pounds of styrene are produced in the U.S. each year, with many facilities located in areas with other fossil fuel and petrochemical plants, disproportionately impacting communities already burdened by toxic chemical pollution.[8, 9]

The creation of styrene involves benzene and ethylbenzene, chemicals that are also harmful to human health.[10] Benzene is a carcinogen linked to leukemia as well as cancers of the blood that can also cause reproductive harm.[11] Ethylbenzene is a possible human carcinogen, and causes skin and eye irritation as well as kidney, lung, and liver cancer in animal studies.[12]

Health effects of styrene include:

• Cancer: styrene exposure is associated with increased rates of leukemia and lymphoma.[2]
• Acute exposure: short-term exposure to styrene is associated with eye and nose irritation, respiratory effects such as mucous membrane irritation, and gastrointestinal effects.[13]
• Chronic exposure: long-term exposure to styrene is associated with effects on the central nervous system such as vision changes and other symptoms including headache, weakness, dizziness, and fatigue.[13, 14] ...

https://toxicfreefuture.org/toxic-chemicals/styrene/

[Mary Wilson]

Class action lawsuit filed over health issues, financial concerns after styrene leak in Cleves

Posted 3:37 PM, Sep 25, 2024
and last updated 7:51 AM, Sep 26, 2024
By: PJ O'Keefe

CLEVES, Ohio — A class-action lawsuit has been filed against the Central Railroad of Indiana, INEOS Group and more after a tanker car leaked styrene in the Cleves and Whitewater Township area for several hours on Tuesday, leading to evacuation and shelter-in-place orders.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of "thousands of individuals and many businesses damaged, traumatized or otherwise injured," claims the owners of the railroad, rail car and the company that produced the styrene owe them damages for lost wages and the mental and physical suffering. The lawsuit asks for reimbursement for those lost wages, as well as the creation of a fund to provide a medical monitoring program as a result of the potential effects of exposure to styrene. ...

https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/class-action-lawsuit-filed-over-health-issues-financial-concerns-after-styrene-leak-in-cleves#google_vignette