INDIANAPOLIS — After a call from Governor Holcomb, the EPA is not shipping any more material from the East Palestine train spill to Indiana.
The news comes as at least three shipments of waste from the East Palestine, Ohio train wreck have already been delivered to the Heritage Environmental Services storage facility in Putnam County. However, the public has not been told exactly what is in these shipments.
Congressman Jim Baird expressed concerns that the material may contain dioxins, compounds known to cause cancer. However, these compounds have not shown up on the EPA’s website noting compounds found in soil and sediment testing at the train wreck site.
Among the substances found at the scene are trichloromethane, vinyl chloride, and xylenes. All three are listed as hazardous by the federal Occupations Safety & Health Administration.
On Tuesday, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management said Governor Eric Holcomb directed Pace Analytics of Minnesota to do third-party soil sampling for Dioxins beginning immediately. IDEM was present as samples were taken from material at the Heritage site.
Additionally, IDEM says the U.S. EPA has agreed to pause sending any further material from the train spill until testing confirms there are no harmful levels of dioxins.