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Union Pacific Houston Cancer - Is Creosote Still Affecting Houstonians?

For decades, residents of Houston's Fifth Ward have argued the company hasn't done enough to clean up an underground plume of creosote at its contaminated rail yard. Recent tests have revealed that the contamination may be affecting residents living nearby.

Researchers say it may be related to elevated cancer rates in the region. Two years after launching an investigation across the state on health and a study by researchers, they found that there were higher than expected rates of childhood lymphoblastic and adult kidney and pelvis cancers in areas around the Union Pacific site.

Creosote

Creosote is a popular chemical used for the treatment of wood is also a popular one. It is also a poisonous substance that can cause cancer when exposed to it.

It is a heavy oily substance that ranges from amber to black in color. It has a smokey scent and a burnt taste. It is a distillation of coal product that has been used for more than 150 years to preserve wood.

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

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Creosote, according to the EPA, is potentially dangerous chemical. Exposure to it for short periods can cause irritation of the skin and eyes, chemical burns stomach pain burning of the throat or mouth and liver or kidney problems.

Railroad Workers -term exposure may cause skin and scrotum cancer. Workers who come in direct contact with it during wood treatment and other manufacturing processes are susceptible to cancer.

According to the EPA, it is a known human cancer-causing agent. It has been linked to a number of different cancer types including esophageal as well as lung cancer.

Houston's Fifth Ward residents have been exposed for decades to creosote, due to a railroad yard close to their homes. They claim that the chemical has affected their soil, homes and continues to spread underground.

The cities of Houston and Harris County have joined the effort to sue Union Pacific in federal court. They demand that the company test for contamination regularly and take preventative measures to prevent 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 serious health issues from the former rail yard.

They are seeking compensation for their illness and suffering, as well as damages from railroads for the cost of cleanup and other costs. They claim that they have been suffering from environmental racism and discrimination in addition to other forms of pollution that has impacted them and their families.

Dioxin

Dioxins are a class of chemicals that aren't able to break down in the environment quickly and can remain in the air, in the soil or in sediment for a lengthy period. They can come from many sources, such as natural disasters, industrial accidents smoking cigarettes, and incineration of hazardous waste.

The effects of dioxin on health are not known at low levels, but there is evidence that they may cause cancer as well as other serious illnesses. Higher levels of dioxin have been linked to an increased risk of organ cancers, heart disease as well as immune-related issues and endocrine issues, including hormonal imbalances. They can also cause reproductive problems, a suppressed immune system, menstrual problems and diabetes hair loss, weight loss and facial cysts called 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 are not volatile and water-soluble, which means they are more easily to be absorbed by the body through the intake of meat, dairy products such as fish, as well as other seafood.

But it is important to keep in mind that the amount of exposure that will have detrimental effects on your health is contingent upon various factors, including the amount of food you consume or drink, the frequency you drink or eat and how much you breathe. It is also important to consider your gender and age, nutritional status, and family characteristics to determine if your family will be exposed to dioxins.

Furthermore, the kind of contaminant can be an important aspect. According to the EPA certain toxins are more dangerous than others to the health of humans. Polychlorinated biphenyls, also known as PCBs, are more likely than creosote to affect your health.

PCBs can cause damage to eyes and kidneys, liver, and kidneys. They can also affect the immune system of a person and affect the development of healthy teeth and bones.

For years, residents in Houston's Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens have been complaining about a string of cancer-related deaths which has been related to the Union Pacific rail yard, close to their communities. The announcement made by the city's health department stated that it had found cancer-causing chemicals in surfaces near the rail yard. The release stated that the findings were "not encouraging." Mayor Sylvester Turner told FOX 26 that he's planning to sue Union Pacific over the matter and that a plan that he has submitted to Texas environmental regulators will not be adequate given the findings.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls

PCBs, also known as polychlorinated biphenyls, are toxic chemicals that have been in use for more than 60 years in industrial and consumer products. After being shown to cause cancer and weaken the immune system, these chemicals were banned in 1979.

PCBs can cause contamination of soil and water as well as air in a variety of regions of the world after they are released into the environment. They are strong binders of organic matter, and are easily transported and then accumulated in the environment.

PCBs are a major concern for protecting the environment as well as public health. They are deemed to be a probable human carcinogen by EPA and have been demonstrated to cause cancer in lab animals.

Additionally, some studies have found a link between PCBs to birth defects in children. This is particularly true for children exposed to these chemicals in the womb.

The main route of exposure to PCBs is through food. Because they are the highest in PCBs, fish is the main source of exposure. However, PCBs can also found in beef, dairy products, and other agricultural products.

Another way to get exposed to PCBs is through drinking and showering with water that has been polluted with PCBs. This can happen from leaks or spills that can occur in electrical and other equipment.

In the same way, people can be exposed to PCBs by breathing in air or through skin. These chemicals can cause an illness known as chloracne which is a tiny, pale skin lesions that can last for weeks or even years.

However, the effects of PCBs on human health are not yet fully known. Researchers have suggested that they may cause biliary and liver cancers in humans. However further research is required to better understand how this impacts us.

EPA is also studying whether these chemicals could cause birth defects in newborns, such as low birth weight. A low birth weight has been linked to Type II diabetes, insulin resistance and 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 toxic metal that can be found in many products including paints, pipes and food cans. It is absorbed into the body via two main pathways: the respiratory and oral.

It is an extremely chemical that can oxidize and react with other chemicals in your surroundings. This can lead to its accumulation within the body. This can cause serious health issues like cancer and other illnesses.

Houston residents who live near the Union Pacific Railroad's legacy creosote plant are at risk of cancer. The city has asked the federal government to instruct the railroad to clean up the site that is contaminated.

Union Pacific Railroad has a past history of caused harm to 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 mess, but a plan presented to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is not sufficient residents claim.

One of the major problems that resulted from the contamination was the plume of groundwater that is located beneath homes in the region. A recent study by health officials has shown that soil samples from the rail yard contain an increased amount of creosote than the recommended amount for drinking water.

Another issue is the slow evaporation of creosote in the air. It causes residents to breathe dangerous levels of vapors that are dangerous for children and adults.

It is possible that the vapors cause cancer in people who breathe them. To find out more about the effects of the vapors on lives of residents, a door-to-door survey is being conducted in the neighborhood.

This is a serious problem for the Fifth Ward communities and Kashmere Gardens. It's a pity and must be dealt with immediately.

A recent study conducted by the Department of State Health Services found that children living in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Garden neighborhoods contracted a form of leukemia at a five-fold higher rate than expected. The study also found that adult cancers were more common in the neighborhoods than they were elsewhere in Texas.

Read More: https://sites.google.com/view/railroadcancersettlements