Dioxins and the Ohio Train Derailment

Article by Scott Armstrong

Video clip from The Daily Wrap-Up with Ryan Cristián: Ohio Cover Up Continues, US Sends Ukraine Depleted Uranium Rounds & ISIS Patch On Ukraine Solider (2/15/2023)

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On February 3rd, a train derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, causing some major concern about the way the railroad company and other agencies handled the situation in the aftermath. Please refer to TLAV’s previous coverage of the topic:

In-Depth, Up-To-The-Minute Train Derailment Coverage

Also check out Ryan’s previous coverage on The Daily Wrap-Up:

• The Ohio Disaster Cover Up, CDC Always Knew MRNA Entered The Blood & The Year Psyops Went Mainstream (2/13/2023)

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Dioxins

Here is the definition of dioxins, according to the World Health Organization:

Dioxins are environmental pollutants. They belong to the so-called “dirty dozen” - a group of dangerous chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Dioxins are of concern because of their highly toxic potential. Experiments have shown they affect a number of organs and systems.

Dioxins are mostly formed during the incineration process. When certain chemical compounds are burned, dioxins are formed. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences:

Dioxins are mainly byproducts of industrial practices. They are produced through a variety of incineration processes, including improper municipal waste incineration and burning of trash, and can be released into the air during natural processes, such as forest fires and volcanoes.

Another common form of dioxin production comes from the bleaching process in paper and pulp production.

Here are some other things to note about dioxins from the US Environmental Protection Agency:

• Dioxins are called persistent organic pollutants (POPs), meaning they take a long time to break down once they are in the environment.

• Dioxins are highly toxic and can cause cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, damage to the immune system, and can interfere with hormones.

• Dioxins are found throughout the world in the environment, and they accumulate in food chains, concentrating mainly in the fatty tissue of animals.

• More than 90% of typical human exposure is estimated by EPA to be through the intake of animal fats, mainly meat, dairy products, fish, and shellfish.

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Dioxin and the Ohio Train Derailment

Here is a great Substack article by Eric Coppolino from Planet Waves FM that goes deeper into the implications of dioxin being a potential byproduct of the incident in East Palestine, Ohio:

East Palestine, Ohio train wreck: It's the dioxin

From the article:

Most coverage of the train wreck in Palestine, Ohio is missing one word: dioxin. There were reportedly 14 tanker cars full of vinyl chloride, a precursor to polyvinyl chloride — that is, vinyl. Burning vinyl is the most serious source of dioxin in the environment — whether from trash incinerators, house fires or chemical spills.

While vinyl chloride is a precursor chemical to making PVC, any time chlorinated compounds burn there will be dioxins created. And dioxin is a byproduct of any manufacturing process involving chlorine, from “disinfectants” to the bleaching of paper. There was plenty of dioxin in those tanker cars before they caught fire.

This mess of 14 tanker cars (really, many more, but 14 had vinyl chloride) was then set on fire with authorization by the government, apparently to make it easier to clear the railroad tracks. This was the worst possible decision. It has turned many, many miles into what should be no-man’s land. But I have not heard of one single test for dioxin being done

This article goes on to describe a lot of the history of dioxins and how they have been omitted from much of the conversation around environmental contaminants for the last several decades.

Dioxin has been out of the news for more than 30 years. Therefore, very few people today have any sense of the problem — including journalists and editors. It is one of the most serously environmental issues, but the background is not known by nearly anyone (and that’s partly why I have posted the history below).

After a series of fraudulent articles in The New York Times that claimed they are as dangerous as sunbathing, the issue disappeared. A federal reassessment of dioxin’s toxicity was stuffed early in the Clinton administration.

It is unclear whether or not testing has been done to see if dioxins are present in the Ohio spill. According to Scientific American:

It’s not yet clear whether the EPA has examined the site for other concerning chemicals, according to Nesta Bortey-Sam, an environmental toxicologist at the University of Pittsburgh, which is located about 50 miles from the derailment site. These substances include dioxins, a type of pollutant known to build up over time in animals and humans.

In spite of there being a lack of testing, resident have been told that it was okay to return to their homes within the area where there is still concern over dioxin contamination.

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It’s difficult to say what the total scope of the incident in Ohio is, especially now that we are seeing similar cases all over the country. Are these derailments and chemical spills being hyped up? Is it a failure of the railroad companies to maintain their equipment properly? Is this the result of understaffing or inadequate personnel? Are corners being cut when it comes to safety? Is it purely incompetence? Or is there something more nefarious going on? Let us know what you thing in the comments.

In the meantime, stay vigilant, question everything, come to your own conclusions.

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