EPA takes next step toward banning chemical spilled in East Palestine crash

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday proposed designating one of the toxic substances spilled by a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, as a high-priority chemical under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the next step to a full ban.

Vinyl chloride, a hazardous substance used in the production of plastics, is one of five chemicals for which the EPA announced it will explore a designation.

The other substances include acetaldehyde, acrylonitrile, benzenamine and 4,4’-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MBOCA). They were selected from a longer list of chemicals the agency had previously identified for additional assessment.

“Studying the safety of these harmful chemicals – all five of which have been linked to cancer and are used to make plastic – would help lead to critical public health and environmental protections in communities across the country and would ensure that the public has access to more data on these chemicals sooner,” Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff said in a statement.

Vinyl chloride has been tied to liver, brain, and lung cancer and its presence in the 2023 East Palestine derailment is one of the major reasons residents remain concerned about possible long-term health hazards, even though no one was killed or injured in the immediate crash.

Environmental protection officials have raised concerns about vinyl chloride going back to the 1970s, and in recent years, as more municipalities replace lead pipes, new concerns have emerged about potential chemical leaching from PVC replacements.

“This designation requires EPA to thoroughly evaluate the risks associated with vinyl chloride, a known carcinogen, and implement stringent regulations to mitigate its dangers,” Earthjustice director of crosscutting toxic strategies Eve Gartner said in a statement. “With the alarming frequency of vinyl chloride incidents and its pervasive presence in our air, water, and soil in communities near petrochemical manufacturing, as well as ongoing use in consumer products, this action is necessary to protect vulnerable communities and prevent further harm.”