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    Risks for chemical spills are high, but here's how to protect yourself

    The Ohio derailment is a reminder of what can happen for millions of Americans who live near railways. There are things people can do to better protect themselves from the hazards of chemical spills.
    by Jaclyn Diaz Feb 18, 2023 5 minutes
    A freight train is seen traveling through Houston in 2022. The U.S. freight rail network runs on almost 140,000 route miles, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. And U.S. railroads typically transport more than 2 million carloads of hazardous materials each year, according to the Association of American Railroads.

    Questions linger over the potential health and environmental impact of the derailment of a train carrying hazardous chemicals near East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this month.

    Some residents have reported headaches and rashes in the aftermath of the incident and have grown frustrated with the response from the rail company, Norfolk Southern, and public officials.

    The Environmental Protection Agency maintains that the air is safe and that the agency is continuing to monitor the situation. The EPA says levels of the chemical causing the reportedly noxious smell are not high enough to impact the community's health.

    What happened in East Palestine is a cruel reminder of what can happen for millions of people who live near railways throughout the U.S., said Jennifer Sass, a senior scientist in the health and environment program of the the Natural Resources Defense Council, environmental nonprofit.

    There is "a really big risk" of what occurred in East Palestine happening in other communities, Sass

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