Reports of hazardous chemicals released into the atmosphere in the wake of a derailed train have been described as “hellish.” Taylor Holzer, a nearby fox keeper and dairy farmer in East Palestine close to the evacuation zone, told WKBN-TV that his foxes began to behave abnormally after the accident, with some even breaking their legs while attempting to flee. They suffered symptoms such as puffy faces, stomach issues, weakness and lethargy, and one of them died.

The Post reported that twenty cars on the 100-car train were loaded with hazardous chemicals including vinyl chloride and hydrogen chloride. Vinyl chloride is a colorless gas with a mild, sweet odor used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes and other plastic products. When breathed in, it is absorbed through the lungs into your bloodstream where it circulates throughout your body before being filtered out by your liver.

According to Professor Kevin Crist from Ohio University’s Air Quality Center, these toxins can be very damaging when inhaled in high concentrations; he compared their effects to an acid mist. Furthermore, Amanda Breshears from North Lima who also lives outside of the designated evacuation area noted dead chickens shortly after the burn commenced which she believes was caused by exposure to these toxic fumes.

Documentation from the New Jersey Department of Health dating to the Paulsboro, New Jersey Derailment incident of 2012 lays out the hazards of vinyl chloride.

Vinyl chloride is a colorless gas. It has a mild, sweet odor. It is a manufactured substance that does not occur naturally. Vinyl chloride is used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC is used to make a variety of plastic products, including pipes, wire and cable coatings, and packaging materials.

When it is breathed in, vinyl chloride is absorbed through the lungs into your bloodstream and is circulated throughout the body. Once in the body, your liver changes it into several substances. Most of these new substances also travel in your blood; once they reach your kidneys, they leave your body in your urine. Most of the vinyl chloride and the new substances are gone from your body within a day after you breathe it in. However, some of the new substances react in the liver and, depending on how much vinyl chloride you breathe in, may produce damage there.

It’s vitally important for people living near these sites to understand the potential health effects caused by exposure to these chemicals and take necessary precautions as recommended by public health experts, especially those living with animals or children who are more vulnerable than adults due to their smaller size and developing bodies.

The damages caused not only include physical illness but psychological trauma as well – seeing dead animals or choking fumes can be emotionally distressing for both humans and animals alike. It is therefore essential for us all to recognize how dangerous these chemicals can be so we can work together prevent against future catastrophes like this one from happening again.