A collision involving three Norfolk Southern trains in Pennsylvania, US, has resulted in the leakage of diesel fuel and plastic pellets into the Lehigh River, a tributary of the Delaware River.
The tributary supplies thousands of local residents with drinking water.
The three trains collided after an eastbound Norfolk Southern train crashed into a parked train on the same track, the wreckage of which was then also hit by a westbound train.
The incident, similar to the freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, in February last year, has raised concerns about public health and environmental safety resulting from the management of chemical freight.
US transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg restated his concerns regarding railroad safety and criticised the industry for its insufficient efforts to improve safety measures following the 2023 derailment.
In a recent statement addressed to the primary trade association of freight railroads, Buttigieg acknowledged the industry’s commitment to safety. He also commended the provision of paid sick leave to nearly 90% of its employees during the past year, as well as its investment in detectors and other technologies aimed at derailment prevention.
Buttigieg also noted that regulators often encounter resistance when pushing for further safety improvements within the industry, noting that the Federal Railroad Administration’s data didn’t show adequate improvements in safety over the past decade.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported no injuries or hazardous material leaks from the incident.
Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics, has called for stricter regulations to prevent similar incidents, citing another spill of plastic pellets by Norfolk Southern in upstate New York earlier in the year.
Andrew Whelton, an environmental chemist and engineering professor at Purdue University in Indiana, likewise expressed concern for current practices around the management of chemical freight.
Despite reassurances from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the safety of the East Palestine area, industry experts remains skeptical, pointing to the illnesses reported by residents and first responders following the incident.
The EPA has stated its commitment to supporting research into health concerns raised by the community and pledged to collaborate with independent researchers.
The derailment closely followed the 12-month anniversary of the East Palestine train disaster, wherein a Norfolk Southern train derailment resulted in a huge fire that blew toxic gas across the community. Last month, US president Joe Biden paid a visit to the affected community.
