Notes

Railroad Workers Tools To Help You Manage Your Daily Life
Union Pacific Houston Cancer - Is Creosote Still Affecting Houstonians?

For decades, neighbors in Houston's Fifth Ward have argued the company hasn't done enough to clean up creosote-laden creosote plume that was at its rail yard that is contaminated. Recent tests have revealed that contamination is still impacting residents living near.

Researchers believe it could be due to the large number of cancers in the region. Two years into a state health investigation the researchers found higher than anticipated levels of childhood lymphoblastic leukemia as well as adult kidney and renal pelvis cancers within the communities around the Union Pacific site.

Creosote

Creosote is a chemical commonly employed in the treatment of wood. It is also a toxic substance that can cause cancer when exposed to it.

It is a dense, oily substance that is amber or black in color and has a smokey odor and burnt taste. It is a distillation of coal product that has been used for over 150 years to preserve wood.

It is utilized in the United States to treat railroad ties, and other types woods, such as fence posts and utility poles, and pilings for marine structures. It is also used to safeguard log homes and other structures from insect infestation.

According to Cancer Lawsuit Settlements United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Creosote is potentially dangerous chemical. When exposed to creosote, even for short periods can result in irritation to the eyes and skin as well as chemical burns stomach discomfort, burning of the mouth or throat and liver or kidney problems and even permanent damage.

Long-term exposure can cause skin and scrotum cancer. Workers who come in direct contact with it during wood treatment and other manufacturing processes are at risk.

It is thought to be a probable human carcinogen according to the EPA. It has been linked to many types of cancer such as esophageal cancer as well lung cancer.


Houston's Fifth Ward residents have been exposed for decades to creosote thanks to a former railroad yard right next to their homes. They claim that the chemical has contaminated their homes, soil, and continues to spread underground.

Harris County and Houston have joined forces to fight Union Pacific in federal court. They are demanding that the company test for contamination on a regular basis and implement preventative measures to prevent the spread.

In October 2017 a group of Fifth Ward neighbors sued Union Pacific. They claim that creosote contaminated their soil and caused serious health issues as a result of the former rail yard.

They are seeking damages from the railroad to cover the costs of cleanup and other related costs. They claim that they have been harmed by environmental racism, discrimination, and other forms of pollution that affected their families and themselves.

Dioxin

Dioxins are substances that do not degrade quickly in the environment and they can be found in the air, water, soil or sediment for an extended period of time. They can come from diverse sources, including natural catastrophes, industrial accidents, smoke from cigarettes and incineration of hazardous waste.

Although the effects of dioxin on health at low levels aren't known however, there is evidence to suggest that they can cause serious illnesses such as cancer. Dioxin levels that are higher have been linked with an increased risk of organ cancers, heart disease as well as immune-related issues and endocrine issues, like hormonal imbalances. They can also cause reproductive problems, a weakened immune system, diabetes and menstrual issues weight loss, hair growth and facial cysts, known as chloracne.

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

It is vital to remember, however, that exposure to dioxins can have a detrimental effect on your health depending on many factors , including how much you drink, eat and the frequency with which you breathe. It is also important to take into consideration your age, gender, diet, nutritional status and family traits in addition to other health factors that may affect whether you are affected by dioxins or not.

The type of contaminant also important. The EPA states that certain toxins are more likely to cause harm effect on the human body than others. For instance, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are more likely to have a detrimental effect on your health than creosote.

PCBs can cause damage to the eyes as well as the liver, kidneys and kidneys. They can also affect a person's immune system and interfere with the growth of healthy teeth and bones.

Houston's Fifth Ward and Kashmere Garden neighbors have complained for a long time about cluster of cancer deaths that are connected to the Union Pacific rail yard. The yard is close to their homes. The city's health department said on Friday that it had discovered cancer-causing chemicals in surface samples around the rail yard. The release stated that the results were "not encouraging." Mayor Sylvester Turner told FOX 26 that he's going to sue Union Pacific over the matter and that a plan submitted to Texas environmental regulators wouldn't be sufficient in light of the findings.

Railroad Cancer (PCBs) are toxic chemicals that have been employed in industrial and consumer products for more than 60 years. PCBs were banned in 1979 after being found to cause cancer, weaken the immune system and inhibit learning.

PCBs can infect soil and water as well as air in many parts around the globe after they are released into the environment. They bind strongly to organic matter and tend to remain in the environment for a long time which means they are easily transported and accumulated in the environment.

In the end, PCBs are a major issue for the protection of public health and the environment. The EPA considers them a potential human carcinogen and has shown that they can cause cancer in lab animals.

In addition certain studies have linked PCBs to birth defects in children. This is particularly true for children who have been exposed to these chemicals in the womb.

The primary route of exposure to PCBs is through food items. Since they are the most abundant in PCBs Fish is the primary source of exposure. But, PCBs can also be present in beef and dairy and other agricultural products.

Another way to be exposed to PCBs is by drinking or showering with water that is contaminated with PCBs. This can happen from spills or leaks that may be caused by electrical or other equipment.

Similarly, Railroad Cancer can also be exposed to PCBs through breathing the air or through the skin. These chemicals can cause the condition known as chloracne which is small, pale skin lesions that can last from weeks to years.

However, the effects of PCBs on the human body are not fully known. Some researchers have suggested they could cause liver and the biliary tract cancers in humans, but more studies are needed to discover what this means for us.

The EPA is also investigating whether these chemicals can cause birth defects in newborns. Low birth weight has been associated with insulin resistance, or Type II diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease later in the course of. 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 can be present in a variety of products including paints, pipes, and food cans. It is absorbed by the body via two main pathways: the respiratory and oral.

It is a strong oxidizing agent and tends to react with other chemicals present in the environment. This could cause it to build up within the body and cause serious health issues such as cancer and other ailments.

In Houston the residents who live near a creosote legacy treatment facility run by Union Pacific Railroad have a high incidence of cancer. The city has requested the assistance of the federal government in cleaning up 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 carcinogenic chemicals to humans, like creosote. Residents say that the company has been trying to eliminate the contamination, but the plan submitted to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was not enough.

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

Another major concern is that the creosote is slowly dispersing into the air. As it is, it is causing 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 learn more about the effect of the vapors on the lives of residents an in-depth survey of the residents is being done in the neighborhood.

This is a serious problem for the Fifth Ward communities and Kashmere Gardens. It's a sad state of affairs and needs to be taken care of immediately.

A Department of State Health Services study found that leukemia rates were five times higher among children who lived in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens neighborhoods than was expected. The study also revealed that adult cancers were more frequent in the neighborhoods than they were elsewhere in Texas.

Website: https://ide.geeksforgeeks.org/tryit.php/6f5c627d-6ed7-4203-99eb-f677da0bc2cc