CDC inspectors report headaches, nausea amid East Palestine clean up

Members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who conducted house-to-house interviews around the site of the East Palestine train derailment last month have started to become ill and symptoms include having nausea and headaches. The BBC Reports that residents around the derailment site reported similar symptoms on top of burning eyes and sore throats.

In their statement the CDC said, "Symptoms resolved for most of the team later the same afternoon, everyone resumed work on survey data collection within 24 hours. Impacted team members have not reported ongoing health effects."


 

According to the BBC, the train was reportedly carrying vinyl chloride and other potentially hazardous substances. Due to the chemicals, officials have stated that around 45,000 aquatic species have died. 

EPA administrator Michael S. Regan was asked if he would let his children drink the water, which authorities claimed was safe again but residents worried it was contaminated. Regan said, "Yes, as a father, I trust the science."

This comes in the wake of the US Department of Justice filing a lawsuit against Norfolk Souther Thursday, for "unlawfully polluting the nation's waterways." According to reporting from ABC 11 the state of Ohio also filed a lawsuit against the train company for violating the state's "CERCLA act." on top of other state and federal laws. 

The National Transportation Board ruled in February that this was "100 percent preventable." Norfolk Southern has already agreed to pay over $27.9 million. In a statement to the US Senate, CEO Alan Shaw said he is "determined to make this right." 

This was the first in a string of train derailments across the country. Including two others that were carrying toxic chemicals. One in Detroit, and one in Minnesota. All of which the administration has drawn criticism for their lackluster response.