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Why Railroad Workers Isn't As Easy As You Imagine
Union Pacific Houston Cancer - Is Creosote Still Affecting Houstonians?

Houston's Fifth Ward neighbors have complained for decades that the company hasn’t taken the necessary steps to clean the underground plume that was contaminated with rail yard. Now, the most recent tests have revealed that the contamination may still be affecting people who live nearby.

Researchers say it may be related to elevated cancer rates in the area. Two years after the launch of a state-wide health investigation, researchers found that there were higher than expected rates of lymphoblastic childhood and adult kidney and pelvis cancers in the area surrounding the Union Pacific site.

Creosote

Creosote is a popular chemical that is used to treat wood is also a popular one. It is also a cause of cancer in those exposed to it.

It is a dense oily substance, from amber to black in color. It has a smoky scent and a burnt taste. It is a distillation of coal product that has been used for over 150 years as a wood preserver.

It is employed in the United States to treat railroad tiesand other types of woods, such as fence posts, utility poles, and marine pilings. It is also used for protecting log structures and homes against insects and rot.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Creosote is a potentially dangerous chemical. Exposure to creosote for short periods of time can cause skin and eye irritation as well as chemical burns stomach pains, burning in the throat or mouth and liver or kidney issues and even permanent damage.

Exposure for long periods can cause skin and scrotum tumors. Workers who come in direct contact with it during wood treatment or other manufacturing processes are at risk.

According to the EPA, it is a known human cancer-causing agent. It has been linked to a variety of cancers which include esophageal, as well lung cancer.

Houston's Fifth Ward residents have been exposed for a long time to creosote due to a former railroad yard near their homes. They say the chemical has contaminated their homes and soil, and it continues to spread throughout the underground.

Harris County and Houston have joined forces in the fight against Union Pacific in federal court. They want the company to test frequently for contamination and take measures to prevent it from spreading.

In October 2017 the group of Fifth Ward neighbors sued Union Pacific. They allege that creosote from the former rail yard is contaminating soil beneath their homes and is causing serious health problems.

They are seeking damages from the railroad in order to cover the costs of cleaning up and other related costs. They claim that they have been victimized by environmental racism and discrimination, as well as other types of pollution that have adversely affected their families and friends.

Dioxin

Dioxins are a class of chemicals that aren't able to break down in the environment quickly , and can remain in the air, the soil of the water, or sediment for a lengthy period. They can be derived from a variety of sources, including natural catastrophes, industrial accidents smoke from cigarettes and incineration of hazardous waste.

Although the health effects of dioxin at low levels are not well-studied but there is evidence that they can trigger serious illnesses such as cancer. Higher levels of dioxin have been linked to increased risk of heart disease, organ cancers, immune problems, and endocrine issues like hormonal imbalances. They can also lead to reproductive problems, a depressed immune system, menstrual and diabetes issues, hair loss, weight loss and facial cysts, known as chloracne.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the most common method people are exposed to dioxin is through drinking water or food. They are not volatile and water-soluble, so they are easily absorbable by the body via the consumption of meat, dairy products fish, and other seafood.

However, it is important to remember that the amount of exposure that will have negative effects on your health depends on numerous factors, including the amount you eat or drink, how often you eat or drink and how often you breathe. It is also crucial to take into consideration your gender, age, diet, nutritional status and family characteristics and other factors in your health that could affect whether you are affected by dioxins or not.


The kind of contaminant is crucial. The EPA says that some toxins are more likely to have a negative effect on human health than others. Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs, are more likely than creosote have a negative effect on your health.

PCBs can cause damage to the eyes and liver, kidneys and kidneys. They can also harm the immune system and cause problems with the growth of healthy bones, teeth, and bones.

For a long time, residents of Houston's Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens have been complaining about a series of cancer deaths that has been tied to the Union Pacific rail yard, close to their homes. The city's health department announced on Friday that it has found cancer-causing chemicals in surface samples from the rail yard. The release said the results were not encouraging. Mayor Sylvester Turner told FOX 26 that he plans to take legal action against Union Pacific over the matter, and said a plan that he has submitted to Texas environmental regulators isn't adequate in light of the findings.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

PCBs, also known as polychlorinated biphenyls, are toxic chemicals that have been in use for more than 60 years in consumer and industrial products. railroad settlement amounts were banned in 1979 following being found to cause cancer, inhibit the immune system and inhibit learning.

PCBs can cause contamination of soil, water, and air in many regions of the world after they are released into the environment. They are strong binding agents of organic matter, and are transported easily and accumulated in the environment.

This is why PCBs are a major threat for the protection of health and safety of people and the environment. The EPA considers them to be a possible human carcinogen , and has demonstrated that they can cause cancer in lab animals.

In addition, some studies have linked PCBs to birth defects in children. This is especially relevant for children who are exposed to PCBs in the womb.

PCBs are mainly consumed through food items. Fish is the most common source of exposure, as they are the largest source of PCBs. But, PCBs can also be present in beef and dairy and other agricultural products.

Another way to get exposed to PCBs is by drinking or showering with water that is affected by PCBs. This could be caused by leaks or spills in electrical equipment and other.

People may also be exposed to PCBs through breathing in the air or by skin contact. These chemicals can cause the condition known as Chloracne. This is a tiny pale, yellow-colored skin lesions that can last from several weeks to several years.

However the effects of PCBs on human health are not yet fully known. Researchers have suggested that they could cause liver and biliary cancers in humans. However, more research is needed to determine how this affects us.

The EPA is also investigating whether these chemicals may cause birth defects in newborns. The low birth weight of newborns has been associated with Type II diabetes, insulin resistance and high blood pressure and later-life cardiovascular diseases. In two studies, children who were born with higher levels of PCBs in their cord blood had lower body weight at birth and/or later in childhood.

Lead

Lead is a highly toxic metal that is present in a variety of products, such as paints, pipes and food containers. The body can absorb it through two major routes: oral and respiratory.

It is a potent oxidizing chemical and can react with other chemicals present in your environment. It can build up in the body, which can lead to serious health issues such as cancer and other diseases.

In Houston the residents who live near a creosote treatment facility owned by the Union Pacific Railroad have a high risk of developing cancer. The city has requested the federal government's help in the cleanup of the railroad's contaminated facility.

Union Pacific Railroad has a history of having affected its Fifth Ward rail yard and Kashmere Garden neighborhood with chemicals that could cause cancer. The company has been trying to get rid of the contamination, but a plan presented to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality isn't enough residents say.

The groundwater plume that runs beneath the homes in the affected area is among the most severe consequences of the contamination. A recent study by health officials has revealed that soil samples from the rail yard contain more creosote than what is required for drinking water.

Another concern is the slow evaporation of creosote from the atmosphere. As it is, it is causing residents to breathe dangerous levels of vapors, which are toxic for both children and adults.

It is possible that the vapors cause cancer in those who inhale them. To learn more about the impact of the vapors' effects on the lives of residents an in-depth survey of the residents is being done in the neighborhood.

This is a major issue for the Fifth Ward communities and Kashmere Gardens. This is a tragic situation that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

A recent study conducted by the Department of State Health Services discovered that children who lived in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Garden neighborhoods contracted a type of leukemia at five times higher rate than expected. The study also revealed that adult cancers were more frequent in the neighborhoods than they were elsewhere in Texas.

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