Listeners from the United States, Canada, and Europe tuned in November 6 to a webinar entitled Lessons Learned from the 2023 East Palestine Chemical Spill and Fires Disaster. The event centered on new discoveries from four rapid response research studies funded by the National Science Foundation.

Each study began after the February 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. This disaster made global headlines after a 149-railcar containing hazardous materials jumped the tracks prompting multi-state evacuations and months long chemical exposures. A mushroom cloud was generated when officials decided to vent and set aflame about one million pounds of vinyl chloride from damaged railcars.

Andrew Whelton, professor of civil and construction engineering and environmental and ecological engineering, hosted and moderated the discussion between six experts. These research teams were some of the first on the ground after the disaster working to help households and businesses understand the health risks and fate of chemicals released.

The experts included University of Tennessee Knoxville professor Frank Loeffler, Tufts University assistant professor Lauryn Spearing, Cleveland State University associate professor Clayton Wukich, Microbial Insights, Inc. CEO Dora Taggart, Purdue University assistant professor Nusrat Jung, and doctoral student Paula Coelho.

"Employing a multiple lines of evidence approach involving experts, such as those present on this panel, can facilitate the development of a comprehensive plan aimed at understanding and mitigating impacts." - Dora Taggart, CEO of Microbial Insights, Inc.

These experts also collaborated with colleagues from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla, University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Notre Dame. The United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction program shared their webinar as it warranted global interest. After new discoveries were shared by each team, experts discussed their results and recommendations during a panel discussion. “None of this would have been possible without households and business owners asking us for help,” Whelton said. “Many of the questions answered in these studies were asked by the people most affected.”

The panel also discussed how a failure of communication and transparency could dissuade scientists from working with reporters. This can lead to stunted diffusion of scientific research, an outcome detrimental to research and to the public. The panelists provided recommendations to improve health protection decisions. "It is essential to ensure that this information is communicated effectively and at the right level to everyone who needs it." Taggart said.

“Many of the chemical exposures we discovered were entirely avoidable, but some of the public health decisions lacked adequate data,” Whelton said. “Officials confronting such a complex disaster should engage experts with the necessary expertise to inform their decision making. Long-term health monitoring and medical support should be provided to the population and workers exposed.”

“Safeguarding public health demands the use of advanced tools for quick decision-making during a chemical disaster” - Nusrat Jung

The Purdue University Institute for Sustainable Future helped support the webinar and one of the Purdue University led studies. “The power of science and engineering can be used to improve disaster response decision-making. Lessons learned should be applied nationwide,” Whelton said.

A link to the four studies can be found in the links below:

Natural Attenuation Potential of Vinyl Chloride and Butyl Acrylate Released in the East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment Accident. Published in Environmental Science & Technology. Authors: Chen et al. University of Tennessee Knoxville, Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla, Microbial Insights, Inc., Purdue University.

Environmental and private property contamination following the Norfolk Southern chemical spill and chemical fires in Ohio. Published in Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology. Authors: Coelho et al. Purdue University, University of Notre Dame.

Rapid screening of volatile chemicals in surface water samples from the East Palestine, Ohio chemical disaster site with proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry. Published in Science of the Total Environment. Authors: Jiang et al. Purdue University.

What Drives Household Protective Actions in an Industrial Crisis? Insights from the East Palestine Train Derailment? Sustainable Cities and Society. Authors: Toland et al. Tufts University, University of Illinois at Chicago, Cleveland State University, Purdue University.