(EAST PALESTINE, Ohio)— The following is an update on the status of remediation work in East Palestine, Ohio.
Contaminated Waste Removal
The process to remove the contaminated soil from the site of the Norfolk Southern derailment began today. Under the direction of the Ohio EPA, Norfolk Southern brought in large dump trucks to move contaminated soil to U.S. Ecology Wayne Disposal, a licensed hazardous waste disposal facility in Michigan. This will be a continuous effort to properly manage and safely dispose of the waste. So far, 4,832 cubic yards of soil have been excavated from the ground and more may be removed as cleanup proceeds. When the process begins to dig up the tracks and remove the soil underneath, that soil will be hauled away immediately and taken to a proper disposal facility.
A total of 1,715,433 gallons of contaminated liquid has also been removed from the immediate site of the derailment. Of this, 1,133,933 gallons have been hauled off-site, with most going to Texas Molecular, a hazardous waste disposal facility in Texas. A smaller amount of waste has been directed to Vickery Environmental in Vickery, Ohio.
Impacted Aquatic Species
Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Mary Mertz provided an update today on the derailment’s impact to aquatic life in the area. The vast majority of aquatic species killed by the derailment were 1-to-3-inch minnows. All are believed to have been killed in the first 24 hours following the crash; there is currently no immediate threat to minnows, fish, or other aquatic species. ODNR reports that live fish have returned to Leslie Run. More information on the estimated number of aquatic species potentially killed can be found at ema.ohio.gov/eastpalestine.
VIDEO: Minnows and other aquatic life in
Bull Creek and North Fork Little Beaver Creek
Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
The Ohio Department of Agriculture received four animals from the East Palestine area at its Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources submitted three deceased birds and a deceased opossum for necropsies. Lab staff is currently performing these procedures, but preliminary findings indicate no chemical toxicity as a cause of death.
Private Well Sampling
The Columbiana County Health Department reports that it has sampled 88 private wells in the East Palestine area. Final testing results are pending. Those whose drinking water is sourced from a private well are encouraged to drink bottled water until testing results are returned. To schedule testing for your private well, call 330-849-3919.
Last week, test results confirmed that East Palestine’s municipal water was free from contaminants associated with the derailment. Out of an abundance of caution, the Ohio EPA will independently test the municipal water once a week to ensure that this water source remains clean. As represented in the map below, it is unlikely that contaminants from the crash site would travel into the municipal water supply.
Air Monitoring
The U.S. EPA reported that they have conducted indoor air testing at a total of 562 homes. No contaminants associated with the derailment were detected. Those living in East Palestine who have not yet requested free air sampling can call 330-849-3919. Outdoor air monitoring is ongoing with 20 air monitors in the area. These monitors have not detected contaminants associated with the derailment.
Surface Water Cleanup
Operation of the containment and aeration points continue. Work by Norfolk Southern on cleanup in Sulphur Run downstream of the incident site continues.
For more information and previous updates, visit ema.ohio.gov/eastpalestine.