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ILikeTalkn2Myself OP t1_jaaf3z7 wrote

>Officials with the Environmental Protection Agency previously said they have approved the shipment of contaminated waste to two EPA-certified sites in Ohio: Heritage Thermal Services in East Liverpool and Vickery Environmental in Vickery. Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore said Monday two more sites – one in Ohio and one in Indiana – will also receive waste from the derailment scene.
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>The move came after officials in Texas and Michigan complained they didn’t get any warning that waste from the toxic crash site would be shipped to their states for disposal. The EPA ordered the train’s operator, Norfolk Southern, to stop the shipments Friday so that it could review the company’s disposal plans.

LOL... seriously. So, their genius plan was to spread the toxic waste across the United States. Wonderful.

Edit - let's keep track of where Norfolk Southern sends the toxic waste from their Ohio train wreck site. So far it has been public reported that at least 3 sites in OH, 1 in IN, 1 in TX and 1 in MI have been sent waste (knowingly and unknowingly):

  • Ohio
    • East Liverpool, OH
    • Vickery, OH
    • Unclosed location in OH
  • Indiana
    • Unclosed location in IN
  • Texas
    • Harris, TX
  • Michigan
    • Belleville, MI
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BabySnark317537 t1_jaaxb8h wrote

What do you think happens to hazardous waste? It is placed into regulated approved landfills. These places are happy to take people's money to put hazardous waste there. Maybe you should try talking to the people who allowed a hazardous waste landfill in their county?

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docmedic t1_jaaysam wrote

It’s probably all going according to waste disposal protocols, but the fact that the EPA had to stop and review the plans… like, is that not part of the protocol, and they just did it because it’s optics?

Can the EPA quit it with the optics? We don’t need the head to nervously pretend to sip water or for the agency to pretend to order people around.

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BabySnark317537 t1_jab14uh wrote

The state and the railroads have always been allowed to do what they want and the EPA as an agency barely has any teeth. Because of the public outcry the EPA has been allowed to tell the railroad no. And turns out Texas and Michagan didn't feel like taking the usual waste. Which means the EPA *gets * to review the plans before they are enacted. They weren't allowed before. This is real progress which is just as sad as the deregulation that led to this horrible situation.

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RunningNumbers t1_jacknps wrote

You know much of the authority of the Federal EPA has been spun off to state EPA agencies over the past few decades.

Lots of this is the responsibility of state agencies rather than federal.

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Gundamamam t1_jacfelx wrote

Like Michigan's governor getting upset that the waste was being sent to a toxic waste processing facility in michigan. Like, thats what its for. Is the governor going to try and block any other out of state businesses from using that waste disposal company or only the Norfolk Southern spill because its in the news?

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doommaster t1_jac8jg7 wrote

the fact that the EPA told people "it was safe to return to their homes" was sooo crazy to me as an outside observer... damn America is fucked.

The fact alone, that these companies are allowed to transport reactive chemicals, that interact with another in really harmful ways, all on the same train, is crazy to me.
That's like telling people to use acid and chlorine cleaner right after the other...

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AnUnderratedComment t1_jab26up wrote

Dude you don’t seem to understand how this works.

The way the initial response was handled was wrong, and so wrong it’ll likely be deemed criminal. We all agree on that.

But the contaminated soil disposal seems to be working appropriately.

There are sites across the country that receive hazardous waste. That’s their entire business. Cleaning dirty dirt. Most sites will only accept dirt that had certain contaminants, because that’s what they specialize in processing. Often, that means contaminated dirt is moved across state lines for treatment. It is absolutely not normal for states to be alerted when this happens. It’s literally just regular old interstate commerce. Are states alerted every time a tanker truck with hazardous cargo enters their borders? Of course not.

This is already a big deal. Let’s not blow it up by mixing in conspiracy theories and misleading information. It takes away from the seriousness of the situation.

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Agitated-Elevator-59 t1_jad5z2d wrote

There's no such thing as "Harris, TX". It's going to Harris COUNTY, which is in Houston.

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[deleted] t1_jaafesp wrote

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2_Sheds_Jackson t1_jaan4wr wrote

I find it hilarious that Texas is complaining about this. I understand why they are, but it is very funny none the less.

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[deleted] t1_jaasjwq wrote

[deleted]

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CaptainJackVernaise t1_jaax20u wrote

Without prior knowledge? The sites this is being sent to are fully licensed to handle the waste they're being shipped. They signed up to receive this stuff, and in order for it to be shipped, someone at the site needed to give them an affirmative. The TCEQ had to approve the application to be a hazardous waste disposal site. These are private companies being paid to perform a service. All waste shipments should be following all EPA RCRA and OSHA HAZWOPER requirements.

Any arguments from people that say this stuff is being sent surely don't want the government to step in and interfere with a capitalist enterprise, right?

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