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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 remove creosote in the underground air at its rail yard that is contaminated. The latest tests suggest that the contamination could still be affecting people who live near.

Researchers believe it could be linked to the increased cancer rates in the area. Two years into a state health investigation, they found higher-than-expected levels of childhood lymphoblastic leukemia as well as adult kidney and pelvis cancers within the communities around the Union Pacific site.

Creosote

Creosote is a common chemical employed in the treatment of wood. It can also cause cancer in those exposed to it.

It is a heavy oily substance, from amber to black in color. It has a smoky scent and a bitter taste. It is a coal tar distillation product that has been in use for over 150 years as a 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 shield log homes and other structures from insect infestation.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that creosote could be a risky chemical. Exposure to creosote for short periods of time can cause skin and eye irritation chemical burns, stomach pains, burning of the throat or mouth and liver or kidney issues 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 regarded as a possible human carcinogen according to the EPA. It has been linked with several cancers that include esophageal aswell as lung cancer.

Residents of Houston's Fifth Ward neighborhood have been exposed to creosote for a long time, thanks to an old rail yard located near their homes. They claim that the chemical has affected their soil, homes and continues to spread underground.

Harris County and Houston have joined forces to fight Union Pacific in federal court. They want the company to test regularly for contamination , and take steps to stop it from spreading.


A group of Fifth Ward neighbors filed an action against Union Pacific in October of 2017. They claim that creosote was a source of contamination in their soil and caused serious health problems as a result of the former rail yard.

They are seeking compensation for their ailments and suffering, as well as damages from the railroad for the cost of cleaning and other costs. Cancer Lawsuits claim to have been harmed by environmental racism and discrimination as well as other forms of pollution that affected their families as well as them.

Dioxin

Dioxins are a class of chemicals which do not break down quickly in the environment, and they can remain in the soil, air, water or in sediment for a long period of time. They can be derived from diverse sources, including natural disasters, industrial accidents, cigarette smoke and incineration of hazardous waste.

Although Railroad Injury Settlement Amounts of dioxin on health in low concentrations aren't known but there is evidence that they could cause serious illnesses such as cancer. Patients who are exposed at higher levels are believed to have an increased risk of heart disease, organ cancers, immune system problems and endocrine imbalances like hormonal imbalances. They can also trigger reproductive problems, a depressed immune system, menstrual and diabetes issues and hair loss, weight loss and facial cysts, known as chloracne.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the most common way people are exposed to dioxin is through drinking water or food. They aren't volatile nor water-soluble, which means they are more easily absorbed by the body through the intake of meat, dairy products such as fish, as well as other seafood.

But it is important to remember that the level of exposure that can have negative effects on your health is contingent upon various factors, including the amount you eat or drink, the frequency you eat or drink and how much air you breathe. It is also essential to take into consideration your age, gender as well as your diet, nutritional status and family traits along with other health factors that could affect your risk of being affected by dioxins or not.

In addition, the form of contaminant can be an important factor. The EPA declares that certain toxins are more likely to have a negative impact on human health than others. Polychlorinated Biphenyls, or PCBs, are more likely than creosote to affect your health.

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

Houston's Fifth Ward and Kashmere Garden neighbors have complained for years of cluster of cancers that have been that are linked to the Union Pacific rail yard. The yard is located close to their homes. The announcement released on Friday by Houston's health department said that it had identified cancer-causing chemicals in samples of the rail yard. The announcement said the results were "not encouraging." Mayor Sylvester Turner told FOX 26 that he's going to take legal action against Union Pacific over the matter and also said that a plan presented to Texas environmental regulators wouldn't be adequate given the findings.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are harmful chemicals that have been used in industrial and consumer products for over 60 years. These substances were banned in 1979 after being proven to cause cancer, weaken the immune system, and hinder learning.

PCBs can be harmful to soil as well as water and air in a variety of regions of the world after they are released into the environment. They are strong binders for organic matter that can be easily transported and accumulated in the environment.

Therefore, PCBs constitute a major risk for the protection of health and safety of people and the environment. They are deemed to be a probable human carcinogen by EPA and have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals.

Certain studies also link PCBs to birth defects in children. This is particularly applicable to children who are exposed PCBs in the womb.

PCBs are most often ingested through food items. Because they are the highest in PCBs fish is the most significant source of exposure. However, PCBs can also be present in beef and dairy and other agricultural products.

Another method of being exposed to PCBs is through drinking and showering with water that is affected by PCBs. This can be caused by leaks or spills which could be caused by electrical or other equipment.

Similarly, people can also be exposed to PCBs through breathing in air or through their skin. These chemicals can trigger the condition known as Chloracne. This is a tiny, pale, yellow-colored skin lesions that last for weeks to years.

However the effects of PCBs on human health are not yet completely recognized. Some researchers have suggested that they may cause liver and the biliary tract cancers in humans, however more studies are needed to determine how this affects us.

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

It is a potent chemical that is oxidizing and can react with other chemicals in your environment. This can lead to it accumulating in the body , and could lead to serious health problems like cancer and other illnesses.

Houston residents who reside near the Union Pacific Railroad's creosote facility are at a high risk of cancer. The city has asked for the assistance of the federal government in the cleanup of the railroad's contamination site.

Union Pacific Railroad has a history in which it has caused harm to its Fifth Ward rail yard and Kashmere Garden neighborhood with chemicals that can cause cancer. The company has tried to eliminate the contamination, but a plan presented to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is not enough residents say.

Groundwater plume below the homes in the affected area is one of the most serious consequences of the contamination. Railroad Injury Settlement Amounts by health officials has found that soil samples taken from the rail yard contain higher levels of creosote than what is required for drinking water.

Another issue is that the creosote vapor is slowly escaping into the air. It is causing residents to breathe harmful levels of vapors which could cause death for children as well as adults.

It is also possible that the vapors are causing cancers in the people who breathe the vapors in. A door-to-door health survey is currently being carried out in the neighborhood to understand how the vapors impact the lives of the residents.

This is a serious issue for the Fifth Ward communities and Kashmere Gardens. It is a sad situation and it should be resolved immediately.

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

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