An Ohio Disaster

With air pollution being one of the most pressing environmental issues faced by the United States today, it seems appropriate to discuss a very recent case of toxic air and water pollution. 

Around 9 p.m. on February 3, a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. This is only 50 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, making the issue very relevant for residents of Pennsylvania. The source of the problem came from what this train was transporting. Eleven out of fifty train cars involved in the derailment and crash had been carrying hazardous materials. A massive fire erupted and any chemicals that escaped during the crash were burned in it, releasing a thick smoke cloud into the air. One of the hazardous materials carried by the train was vinyl chloride, a very toxic and very flammable chemical. To avoid an explosion, authorities performed a controlled release of the vinyl chloride into a nearby trench and burned it off. 

The big problem comes in when you consider the side effects of burning vinyl chloride. It decomposes into gas that includes hydrogen chloride and phosgene. Both can cause various types of skin and lung irritation. As of now, there has been no clear communication from health services or authorities on whether this poses a health threat to residents of East Palestine and neighboring areas. 

What Does This Mean for the Environment?

This unfortunate incident raises attention to how toxic chemicals affect the environment. Potential negative effects that their release into the environment may have include destroying animals and plants in contaminated areas and overall limiting the ability for an ecosystem to survive. Chemicals like these can enter the environment through any number of sources including landfills, factories, incinerators, tanks and more.

Harmful accidents like this Ohio incident may release chemical pollution, which is one of the main drivers of putting the Earth at risk. It amplifies planetary crises of climate change, loss of biodiversity, and degradation of ecosystems.

What Can Be Done To Combat The Issue?

The best way to combat chemical pollution is to stop it at the source. In other words, prevention. Not only is it more cost effective to prevent chemical pollution at the source than to pay for control, but it lessens the negative impacts on human health and the environment. At the local level, this can be done through simple actions such as switching to “green cleaners” and using reusable water bottles instead of throw-aways.

Methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, accounting for about 20% of all emissions. However the real issue is, methane is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of trapping heat in the atmosphere. 

Methane has seen an alarmingly large increase in presence within the atmosphere since records began nearly 40 years ago. Well, methane is a bigger issue than we could have imagined. As the world gets warmer it breaks down organic materials such as dead plants and animals in areas like wetlands and peatlands. This releases more methane into the atmosphere. The warmer it gets, the more quickly this process happens, ultimately resulting in a feedback loop. 

The United States is among the biggest emitters of methane in the world. Along with China, Russia, India, Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Mexico we are responsible for nearly half of all methane emissions. So what is being done to combat this very serious problem and what can we do as citizens?

Sources of Emissions

Depending on the country, the source of emissions is different. For example, China’s emissions are largely the result of coal mining and Russia’s emissions are mainly from natural gas and oil systems. Here in the US, there are three major contributors: oil and gas systems, landfills, and livestock enteric fermentation. 

Governmental Interference

In November of 2021, a plan called the Global Methane Pledge to cut 30% of methane emissions by 2030 was agreed to by more than 100 countries. Some of the largest emitters, however, have yet to join this agreement. Since then, however, only a small portion of these countries have actually submitted their plans to reduce emissions. 

Local Level Interference 

Generally, methane emissions from agriculture could be reduced if farmers switched to more productive cattle herds or if they produced more plant-based food rather than food from livestock. There has been a recent wave in veganism the last several years. There are more plant-based substitutes than ever before (even some that replicate the texture and taste of meat).

A plant-based diet won’t be all good for the environment, as production of synthetic fertilizers, for example, contributes to methane emissions. But if switching over to a plant based diet can help reduce the amount of livestock needed in the country and hopefully combat livestock enteric fermentation emissions, then it may be worth considering.