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Union Pacific Houston Cancer - Is Creosote Still Affecting Houstonians?
For decades, neighbors in Houston's Fifth Ward have argued the company hasn't done enough to remove creosote-laden creosote plume that was at its rail yard that is contaminated. The most recent tests have shown that contamination is still affecting residents living nearby.
Railroad Workers suggest it could be due to higher cancer rates in the area. Two years into a health inspection by the state and they found higher than expected rates of childhood lymphoblastic leukemia and adult renal and kidney pelvis cancers in neighborhoods surrounding the Union Pacific site.
Creosote
Creosote is a common chemical that is used in the treatment of wood. It is also a harmful substance that can cause cancer when exposed to it.
It is a dense oily substance which is amber or black in color and has a smoky odor and burnt taste. It is a coal tar distillation product and has been used for over 150 years as a wood preservative.
It is used in the United States to treat railroad ties, and other types woods, such as fence posts and utility poles, as well as pilings for marine structures. It can also be used to safeguard log homes and other structures from rot and insect infestation.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) creosote can be potentially dangerous chemical. Exposure to it for short periods can cause irritation to the skin and eyes chemical burns stomach pain and burning of the throat or mouth and liver or kidney issues.
Long-term exposure can lead to skin and scrotum tumors. This is a major concern for those who come into direct contact with it during wood treatment or other manufacturing processes.
According to the EPA, it is a possible human cancer-causing agent. It has been linked with various cancers which include esophageal, as well as lung cancer.
Houston's Fifth Ward residents have been exposed for decades to creosote, due to a railroad yard right next to their homes. They say the chemical has affected their homes as well as their soil, and it continues to spread throughout the underground.
The cities of Houston and Harris County have joined the lawsuit against Union Pacific in federal court. They want the company to test regularly for contamination and take measures to prevent it from spreading.
In October of 2017, a group comprised of Fifth Ward neighbors sued Union Pacific. They claim that creosote from the former rail yard is contaminating soil beneath their homes and causing significant health issues.
They are seeking damages from the railroad to help cover the cost of cleanup and other related costs. They claim they've been harmed by racism in the environment and discrimination as well as other kinds of pollution that have affected them and their families.
Dioxin
Dioxins are chemical compounds that don't break down in the environment quickly . They can be left in the air, in the soil or in sediment for a long time. They can be derived from various sources, including natural catastrophes, industrial accidents, smoking cigarettes, and incineration of hazardous waste.
The health effects of dioxin aren't clear at low levels, however there is evidence to suggest that they can cause cancer and other serious illnesses. Dioxin levels that are higher have been linked with an increased risk for organ cancers, heart disease, immune problems, and endocrine issues including hormonal imbalances. They can also cause reproductive problems, a depressed immune system, menstrual and diabetes issues, hair loss, weight loss and facial cysts, known as chloracne.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) the most common way people are exposed to the toxins is through water and food. They are not liquid or volatile, which means they are more likely to be taken into the body via the consumption of meat, dairy products, fish and other seafood.
It is nevertheless important to keep in mind that the amount of exposure that can have detrimental effects on your health depends on numerous factors, including the amount of food you consume or drink, the frequency you drink or eat, and the amount of air you breathe. It is also important to consider your gender, age and diet, nutritional status and family characteristics and other health factors that can determine whether you'll be affected by dioxins or not.
Additionally, the type of contaminant is another important factor. The EPA declares that certain toxins are more likely to have a negative effect on human health than others. For instance, polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are more likely to have a detrimental impact on your health than creosote.
PCBs can cause damage to the eyes, liver, kidneys, and kidneys. They can also damage the immune system of the person and hinder the growth of healthy bones and teeth.
For a long time, residents of Houston's Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens have complained about a cluster of cancer-related deaths which has been tied to the Union Pacific rail yard, close to their communities. The city's health department announced Friday that it has found cancer-causing chemical compounds in surface samples near the rail yard. The announcement said that the results weren't encouraging. FOX 26's Mayor Sylvester Turner stated that he plans on suing Union Pacific over the matter and that a proposed plan by Texas environmental regulators will not be sufficient.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
PCBs, also known as polychlorinated biphenylsare harmful chemicals that have been used for over 60 years in industrial and consumer products. These substances were banned in 1979 following being discovered to cause cancer, inhibit the immune system, and impair learning.
PCBs can be harmful to soil or water as well as air in many areas of the world once they are released into the environment. They bind tightly to organic matter and are often persistent which means they are easy to transport and accumulate in the environment.
This is why PCBs constitute a major risk for the protection of health and safety of people and the environment. The EPA considers them a probable human carcinogen and has shown that they can cause cancer in lab animals.
Some studies also show a link between PCBs to birth defects in children. This is especially true for children who have been exposed to these chemicals during pregnancy.
PCBs are most often ingested through food items. Because they are the highest in PCBs fish is the primary source of exposure. However, PCBs can also be present in beef and dairy and other agricultural products.
Another method of being exposed to PCBs is through drinking and showering with water that has been contaminated with PCBs. This could be due to leaks or spills which could occur in electrical and other equipment.
People can also be exposed to PCBs by breathing in the air or skin contact. These chemicals can trigger the condition known as chloracne which is small, pale skin lesions that can be present for a period of weeks or years.
However, the effects of PCBs on human health are not yet fully recognized. Some researchers have suggested they could cause liver or the biliary tract cancers in humans, however more studies are needed to discover the extent to which this impacts us.
The EPA is also studying whether these chemicals may cause birth defects in newborns. The low birth weight of newborns has been linked to Type II diabetes, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and later-life cardiovascular diseases. Two studies showed that children born with higher levels of PCBs in their cord blood had lower birth weights , and/or older.
Lead
Lead is a poisonous metal and is found in a wide range of products, including paints, pipes and food containers. It can be absorbed by the body via two main routes: oral and respiratory.
It is a powerful chemical that can oxidize and react with other chemicals in your environment. This can cause it to accumulate within the body. This can cause serious health issues such as cancer and other ailments.
Houston residents who reside near the Union Pacific Railroad's creosote legacy plant are at a high risk of cancer. The city has asked for the federal government's help in the cleanup of the railroad's contaminated facility.
The Union Pacific Railroad has a history of polluting its rail yard in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens neighborhood with carcinogenic chemicals to humans, such as creosote. The railroad has been trying to eliminate the contamination, but a plan presented to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is not enough residents say.
The plume of groundwater below homes in the affected area is among the most severe consequences of the contamination. A recent study by the department of health shows that the amount of creosote that is present in soil samples around the rail yard is greater than the recommended level for drinking water.
Another issue is the slow evaporation of creosote to the atmosphere. It is causing residents to inhale toxic levels of vapors which can be fatal for children as well as adults.
It is possible that the vapors could cause cancer in those who inhale them. A door-to-door health survey is currently being conducted in the area to understand the effects of the vapors on the residents' lives.
This is a major issue for the Fifth Ward communities and Kashmere Gardens. This is a tragic situation that must be addressed immediately.
A Department of State Health Services study found that leukemia rates were five times higher among children who lived in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens areas than was expected. The study also revealed that adult cancers were more common in the neighborhoods than they were elsewhere in Texas.