Toxic wastewater from Ohio train derailment moved to Texas
DEER PARK, Texas-- The toxic chemicals from the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio are heading to a Houston suburb for disposal.
A county official in Texas says there are outstanding questions about the transportation and disposal of the material.
According to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, about half a million gallons of that liquid waste arrived at Texas Molecular in the middle of last week, and the facility will receive about 2 million gallons total.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality says the liquid waste is being sent to Texas Molecular for storage and disposal. The private company near Houston has permits to accept and manage a variety of hazardous materials, including vinyl chloride, which is what several of the Norfolk Southern train cars were carrying when it derailed on February 3rd.
Texas Molecular specializes in injecting the hazardous material thousands of feet into the ground for disposal.
County Judge Lina Hidalgo delivered an update in a news conference organized last minute Thursday night after she said she spoke with Texas Molecular, as well as other state and federal agencies.
At the heart of her message was frustration over her and other leaders receiving little communication about the incoming waste, with safety being the main concern. Hidalgo also said it didn't seem that agencies like the EPA have the full picture of what's going on, calling it a "problem."
