Ohio train explosion · 5:26am Feb 14th, 2023
For those not in the know, (and even I didn't know until a few days after it happened) a train carrying 100,000 gallons of Vinyl Chloride, Phosgene gas, and other chemicals derailed in East Palastine, Ohio. The EPA and other services are trying to clean up the mess, but the volatile nature of Vinyl Chloride required them to burn the chemicals in a dug out trench. The ohio news chose to bury the story for a few days, and have been giving conflicting information. Fish and animals have been dying, and the wind's in the east, pushing most of the material toward Pittsburg Penn.
I've been obsessing over this, despite being 160 miles from the epicenter, upwind of it. The trouble is despite them saying the water is safe, the main waterways snake around my way. Worse, some reports are of people having VC in their basements, meaning its possible the ground water is contaminated. Granted, this is half a state away but I am a massive hypochondriac about poisons. Worse, Ohio's governor is more focused on assigning blame.
expect the cancer rates in the midwest to skyrocket over the next 15 years.
What is this, a USSR nuclear accident? Why censor information about that?
Local news might not be burying things, but rather just might not be able to sort out what is actually happening or for what reasons. This is a complex subject, after all.
So, the good news is that VinylCl is pretty reactive: not much is gonna get in the groundwater, if any.
The bad news is that means a lot of it gets in the air, and there is pretty much no safe level of exposure. (I don't actually know what the exact exposure limit is, wikipedia says 500ppm (parts per million. So, 500 mL out of 1000 L or 1 cubic meter. I'm sorry that i can't convert that to your local units.) But you're upwind, so that's not your concern.
They're also burning it, (likely because of all the other chemicals that were also spilled, most of which were highly combustible. VCl is just the one theres the most of and easily the scariest.) which produces HCl (hydrochloric/stomach acid) and Phosgene gas. The latter is also toxic (has been used in chemical warfare) but degrades in water to make more HCl and CO2, so it isn't likely to spread or last very long in the wild. So, lots of smoke and acid in the area, which isn't great short term but which can be sorted out if necessary.
You're probably just fine. Be more concerned with drunk drivers than this unless advised otherwise by people who actually get paid to sort out fuckups of this magnitude.
The people living next to or downwind of that trainwreck and the local wildlife? They should be worried.
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It makes the government look bad and they're more interested in their image than anything else. Simple as that.
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its looking like a cover up. either because norfolk(the train company) isn't legally supposed to be able to transport those chemicals. They also sent it through the B line which was known to be in disrepair.
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I pray that's the case. considering VC is heavier than air it should have gone up and down it should have been mostly gone to the east, but the issue is that there was a lot of cloud cover so it was like pissing on a rock and was spreading out in all directions. The degradation of VC has already started, but the issue is that VC doesn't degrade in water and ohio has a lot of underground water, lakes, and rivers.
As I write this, there's also been a second derailment with similar materials in Texas, and unknown contents in south Carolina
5713616 Yeah, phosgene and vinyl chloride are among some of the worst nasties you can spill. Phosgene is a CHEMICAL WEAPON, deadly at only 500ppm. Vinyl chloride is a highly toxic, highly explosive, highly carcinogenic chemical.
I saw the tanker cars and knew IMMEDIATELY they're not those rated for carrying such hazardous chemicals. The EPA, for all its blustering and browbeating a guy for putting gravel in his driveway, CLEARLY has been turning a blind eye to these politically-connected railways hauling around poison gas improperly.
Oh, and lets not forget how heavily Blackrock and Vanguard are invested in it.
Absolutely a HUGE coverup, with little Petey hiding in desperation since his department is the one responsible for oversight of rail traffic and following the regulations.
An odd coincidence... my comment on the story in early November called for an explosion in 3 months and 1 week from the date I posted it... freaky.
5713605 We're sending hundreds of billions overseas... and not even maintaining our own critical infrastructure.
This is why I hate the federal government. ALL OF IT. It's pure corruption and graft.
5713565 There were 3 other major chemicals involved as well. The issue no one seems to realize is that these chemicals were ALL reactive organic compounds, in a highly acidic and hot condition... meaning unpredictable reaction side-products were certainly formed. Metals and minerals also can act as catalysts in some of these reactions, such as iron chloride at modestly high temps. HCl in hot steam will form iron chloride from both steel and iron oxide, therefore iron chloride WAS present for a time at reaction-permitting temperatures.
Who knows what compounds were formed, and in what quantities? The government seems quite eager NOT to find out...
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FEMA only agreed to start helping out a few hours ago. I'm planning a temporary trip down to florida to step away from Ohio for a little while. get some distance, peace and quiet, and have no distractions.
5714273 FEMA only agreed to step in because WE THE PEOPLE responded with severe anger and threats.
That's the ONLY thing that works with these corrupt bastards. We do not have a functioning government anymore.
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It looked more like they authorized FEMA because Biden saw Trump going to East Palastine after denying FEMA aid.
its all just politics. the powers that be don't care.
5714309 This is why I am required to become Emperor.