Texas A&M Researchers Expose Government Claims That East Palestine Environment is ‘Safe’ for Residents

Should East Palestine residents trust toxicology test results from government officials or the private contractor hired by Norfolk Southern?

Absolutely not!

Independent groups must test the air, water, and soil in East Palestine to determine the environment’s safety.

An independent chemical engineer expert earlier this week exposed the “controlled burn” lie from Norfolk Southern and government officials.

9/11 Victims Lawyer Has Urgent Message For East Palestine Residents

Now, Texas A&M researchers produced an independent analysis of EPA data that contradicts previous statements by government officials.

The air is not "safe" for East Palestine residents to breathe due to airborne pollutants still in the environment.

"Compared to EPA National Air Toxics data (NATA 2014), some concentrations in East Palestine (OH) for 9 out of ~50 chemicals EPA reported are higher than 'normal,'" Texas A&M Superfund Research Center tweeted.

"If these levels continue, they may be of health concern (especially acrolein)."

Update (1/3) on @CAPS_CMU and @TAMUSuperfund partnership for air quality in East Palestine, OH. EPA’s air data for BTEX are compared to measurements by @TAMUSuperfund in NC in 2018-19 – good news is that BTEX levels appear “normal” (including Benzene, a known carcinogen). pic.twitter.com/2ZlLC0rJJk

— Texas A&M Superfund Research Center (@tamusuperfund) February 24, 2023

Update (3/3) @CAPS_CMU and @TAMUSuperfund partnership is addressing two important questions: (1) are there other chemicals in the air that EPA isn’t monitoring? (2) what about locations were EPA doesn’t have a monitor? Stay tuned… first results soon! pic.twitter.com/Jkm99E8k7I

— Texas A&M Superfund Research Center (@tamusuperfund) February 24, 2023

These toxic pollutants could pose long-term health risks for East Palestine residents.

Researchers at Texas A&M contradict Biden official, reveal toxic pollutants still airborne in East Palestine could pose long-term risks https://t.co/6R0UFeNWg3

— TheBlaze (@theblaze) February 25, 2023

BREAKING - DEADLY LIES: Independent researchers at Texas A&M University have just contradicted federal government regulators, saying that toxic air pollutants in East Palestine, Ohio, could pose long-term risks.

The Washington Post writes, "Three weeks after the toxic train… pic.twitter.com/PLOhfY1ko2

— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) February 24, 2023

The Blaze reported:

The CDC's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry noted that acrolein, a pesticide, is "used to make chemical weapons" at higher concentrations.

If breathed in at low levels for a short time, then individuals exposed may experience watery eyes and sore throats. Those exposed to higher levels may see their lungs "affected more severely and for a longer time. Breathing in very high levels of acrolein might affect your lungs so severely that you might die."

The agency indicated, "No one knows if breathing or eating acrolein or spilling it on your skin causes birth defects, affects your ability to have children, or causes cancer. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has not classified acrolein as to its carcinogenicity."

"In animal studies, ingestion of very large amounts of acrolein during pregnancy caused reduced birth weights and skeletal deformities in newborns. However, the levels causing these effects were often fatal to the mother," revealed the ATSDR.

According to the Texas A&M researchers' analysis of the EPA data, the "[hazard quotient] for median in East Palestine" after the derailment was 7. The "[hazard quotient] for highest in East Palestine" was 40.

Both these figures are significantly higher than the norm. The "HQ for median county in USA (EPA NATA 2014)" was 0.89, and the "HQ for highest county in USA" was 6.1.

Real News No Bullshit reporters who interviewed chemical engineer Ronald Lucy said the smell from the water was so bad that they had to walk away due to their throats burning.

Ronald tells us that he’s here taking samples of the air, water, and soil because it’s important for an independent investigator to verify what government officials and representatives of Norfolk Southern are saying.

We’ve posted our interview with him in multiple reels. We want to add that the smell from this water was so bad that we had to walk away after 10 minutes because our throats were burning.

Real America's Voice reporter Savannah Hernandez said her skin was burning a little bit while in the rain during Wednesday's coverage from East Palestine, Ohio.

Real America's Voice reporter Savannah Hernandez said her skin was burning a little bit while in the rain during Wednesday's coverage from East Palestine, Ohio.

"It’s raining here today. And my skin has actually been burning because of what I would assume are the chemicals."

— DailyNoah.com (@DailyNoahNews) February 23, 2023

Weihsueh Chiu, a professor of veterinary physiology and pharmacology at Texas A&M, spoke to The Washington Post about the “potential concern about long-term health effects."

EPA collected the data between Feb. 4 and Feb. 21, and posted the data publicly but without context that shows “potential concern about long-term health effects,” said Chiu, a professor of veterinary physiology and pharmacology at Texas A&M. While some of the highest air pollution readings EPA reported were collected in the days after the controlled chemical release, some more recent samples still remain elevated, Chiu said.

“We can’t say whether these levels are causing the current symptoms,” Chiu said. EPA “would want to definitely make sure that these higher levels that are detected would be reduced before they left and declared everything cleaned up.”

EPA said it has conducted indoor air testing on about 570 homes and found no contaminants associated with the derailment inside them. The agency continues to test the air through 20 monitors around the East Palestine area, as well as via aircraft and other mobile detection equipment, and said it has not detected any levels of air pollution associated with the derailment that trigger health concerns from short-term exposure.

Experts say Texas A&M’s analysis is not a cause for immediate concern but that it highlights uncertainties about the derailment’s long-term effects.

Yet, government officials told East Palestine residents it was "safe" to return.