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Union Pacific Houston Cancer - Is Creosote Still Affecting Houstonians?

Houston's Fifth Ward neighbors have complained for years that the company hasn’t done enough to clean up an underground plume contaminated rail yard. The latest tests have demonstrated that the contamination may be impacting residents living near.

Researchers believe it could be due to the large number of cancers in the region. Two years into a health study conducted by the state and they found higher than expected rates of childhood leukemia as well as adult kidney and renal pelvis cancers in the neighborhoods around the Union Pacific site.

Creosote

Creosote is one of the most common chemicals used to treat wood. It can cause cancer in people exposed to it.

It is a heavy oily substance, amber to black in color. It has a smoky smell and a burnt taste. It is a coal tar distillation product that has been in use for more than 150 years as an ingredient in wood preservative.

In the United States, it is used to treat railroad ties and other kinds of wood including fence posts, utility poles and marine pilings. It is also used to safeguard log homes and other structures from rot and infestation.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that creosote may be a dangerous chemical. When exposed to creosote, even for brief periods may cause irritation to the eyes and skin and chemical burns stomach pains, burning in the throat or mouth, kidney or liver problems, and even permanent damage.

Long-term exposure to the sun can cause skin and scrotum cancer. This is a major concern for workers who have direct contact with it during wood treatment or in other manufacturing processes.

It is considered a probable human carcinogen as per the EPA. It has been linked to a number of different types of cancer, including esophageal and lung cancer.

Houston's Fifth Ward residents have been exposed for decades to creosote due to a railroad yard right next to their homes. The chemical is said to have contaminated their homes and soil and continues to spread underground.

The city of Houston and Harris County have joined the lawsuit against Union Pacific in federal court. Cancer Lawsuits would like the company to test regularly for contamination , and take steps to stop it from spreading.

In October 2017, a group comprised of Fifth Ward neighbors sued Union Pacific. They claim that creosote was a source of contamination in their soil and caused major health problems from the former rail yard.

They are seeking damages from the railroad to cover the cost of cleanup and other related costs. They claim that they have been suffering from environmental racism and discrimination, as well as other types of pollution that have affected their families and themselves.

Dioxin

Dioxins are chemicals that do not break down quickly in the environment and they can remain in the air, water, or sediment for a long duration. They can be derived from many sources, including natural disasters, industrial accidents smoke from cigarettes and incineration of hazardous waste.

Although the effects of dioxin on health at low levels aren't known yet, there is evidence suggesting that they could cause serious diseases like cancer. Higher levels of dioxin have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, organ cancers as well as immune-related issues and endocrine problems, including hormonal imbalances. They can also cause reproductive problems, a suppressed immune system, menstrual issues and diabetes hair loss, weight loss and facial cysts known as chloracne.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the most frequent way that people are exposed to the toxins is through food and water. They aren't volatile nor water-soluble, so they are easily to be absorbed by the body through the consumption of dairy products, meat fish, and other seafood.

It is important to remember, however, that exposure to dioxins can be detrimental to your health depending on many factors like how much you eat, drink, and how often you breathe. You should also take into consideration your gender, age, nutrition, and family traits to determine whether you will be exposed to dioxins.

Furthermore, the kind of contaminant is another important aspect. According to the EPA there are some toxins that are more dangerous than others to human health. Polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs are more likely than creosote to negatively impact your health.

For example, PCBs can damage a person's eyes, kidneys, and liver. They also can harm the immune system of a person, and affect the development of healthy bones and teeth.

For a long time, residents of Houston's Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens have complained about a string of cancer deaths that have been connected to the Union Pacific rail yard, which is located near their communities. The announcement on Friday by the city's health department revealed that they had identified cancer-causing chemicals in samples of the surface near the rail yard. The release stated that the results were not encouraging. FOX 26's Mayor Sylvester Turner stated that he plans on suing Union Pacific over the matter and that a proposal submitted by Texas environmental regulators won't be sufficient.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are toxic chemicals that have been used in consumer and industrial products for over 60 years. These chemicals were banned in 1979 following being found to cause cancer, weaken the immune system, and hinder learning.


PCBs can be harmful to soil and water as well as air in many parts of the world after they are released into the environment. They bind strongly to organic matter and tend to be persistent and therefore, are easy to transport and accumulate in the environment.

Therefore, PCBs are a major issue for the protection of health and safety of people and the environment. The EPA is adamant that they are a carcinogen for humans and has proven that they can cause cancer in lab animals.

Certain studies also show a link between PCBs to birth defects in children. This is particularly true for children who have been exposed to these chemicals during the pregnancy.

PCBs are most often ingested through food. Since they are the most abundant in PCBs fish is the most significant source of exposure. However, PCBs can also found in beef, dairy products and other agricultural products.

Showering and drinking PCB-contaminated water is another way to be exposed. This could be due to leaks or spills in electrical or other equipment.

Similarly, people can also be exposed to PCBs through breathing the air or by touching the skin. These chemicals can cause an illness known as Chloracne. This is a tiny, pale, yellow-colored skin lesions that can last for months or even years.

The effects of PCBs upon the health of humans aren't completely recognized. Some researchers have suggested that they could cause liver and the biliary tract cancers in humans, however more research is needed to find out the extent to which this impacts us.

EPA is also investigating whether these chemicals could cause birth defects for newborns, including less weight at birth. The low birth weight of newborns has been associated with Type II diabetes, insulin resistance as well as high blood pressure and later-life cardiovascular disease. In two studies, children 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 poisonous metal and is found in many products, including paints, pipes and food cans. The body can absorb it via two routes: oral and respiratory.

It is a strong chemical that can oxidize and react with other chemicals in your environment. It is able to accumulate within the body, which can lead to serious health issues such as cancer and other ailments.

Houston residents who reside near the Union Pac Railroad's legacy creosote plant have a high incidence of cancer. The city has asked for the federal government's help in the cleanup of the railroad's contaminated facility.

The Union Pacific Railroad has a history of polluting its rail yard in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens neighborhood with chemicals that are carcinogenic for humans, such as creosote. Residents claim that the railroad has been working to get rid of the pollution, but the plan that was submitted to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was not sufficient.

One of the major problems that stemmed due to the contamination is the groundwater plume beneath homes in the region. A recent study by the department of health shows that the concentration of creosote in soil samples from the rail yard is much higher than the recommended level for drinking water.

Another concern is that the creosote is slowly escaping into the air. It is causing residents to inhale toxic levels of vapors, which can be fatal for children as well as adults.

It is also possible that the fumes are causing cancers to those who breathe the vapors in. A door-to-door health assessment is being conducted in the neighborhood to learn more about the effects of the vapors on the residents' lives.

This is a serious issue for the Fifth Ward communities and Kashmere Gardens. It's a sad state of affairs and should be dealt with immediately.

A Department of State Health Services study discovered that leukemia rates were five times higher in children who lived in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens neighborhoods than was anticipated. The study also revealed that adult cancers were more common in these areas than elsewhere in Texas.

Website: https://www.deborahdickerson.uk/10-things-we-all-love-about-railroad-cancer/