Environmental Protection Agency involvement

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allowed citizens of East Palestine to return home after continuous and thorough testing of the area. The decision to send people back came after the EPA found little to no traces of chemicals in the air. While there is no solid solution to get rid of the chemicals, the EPA came to the consensus that they need to continue testing. 

Calland says, “the EPA has been testing the air and water every day and went door to door to take indoor air samples of each of the homes. There were no traces of the VOCs [volatile organic compounds] that could make people sick.”

The accident and controlled burn have been followed by many consequences, especially for residents of East Palestine, OH. 

Headings mentions her concerns about the lasting effects of the chemicals released. “[my biggest concern is] that people will show serious health defects,” she says. 

Residents of East Palestine exposed to the air during the controlled burn have been getting sick, but there is little information to show whether or not it’s related to the accident. 

“Even though people were saying they could still smell the chemicals and it was still giving them headaches and sore throats, there’s just nothing testable there,” Calland says.