15 Shocking Facts About Railroad Workers That You Never Knew

Union Pacific Houston Cancer - Is Creosote Still Affecting Houstonians?

Houston's Fifth Ward neighbors have complained for decades that the company hasn't done enough to clean the plume of underground pollution that has contaminated the rail yard. The latest tests have demonstrated that contamination could still be an issue for residents living nearby.

Researchers believe it is due to the large number of cancers in the area. Railroad Workers Cancer after the launch of an investigation across the state on health and a study by researchers, they found that there were higher than expected rates of lymphoblastic cancer in children and adult kidney and pelvis cancers in the region around the Union Pacific site.

Railroad Workers And Cancer is a common chemical that is used in the treatment of wood. It is also a cause of cancer in people exposed to it.

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

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

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declares creosote is an extremely hazardous chemical. When exposed to creosote, even for short periods of time can cause irritation to the eyes and skin chemical burns stomach pains, burning of the throat or mouth and liver or kidney problems and even permanent damage.

Exposure for long periods can lead to skin and scrotum cancer. Workers who come in direct contact with it during wood treatment or other manufacturing processes are at risk.

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

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

The city of Houston and Harris County have joined the effort to sue Union Pacific in federal court. They demand that the company test for contamination on a regular basis and adopt preventative measures to stop it from spreading.

A group of Fifth Ward neighbors filed a lawsuit against Union Pacific in October of 2017. They claim that creosote had contaminated their soil and caused major health problems from the former rail yard.

They are seeking compensation from the railroad in order to cover the costs of cleaning up and other related costs. They claim they have been affected 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 that don't break down in the environment quickly . They can be left in the air, water soil or in sediment for long periods. They can be found in many sources, including natural catastrophes, industrial accidents smoking cigarettes, and the incineration process of hazardous waste.

The health effects of dioxin are not clear at low levels, but there is evidence that they can cause cancer and other serious diseases. The people who are exposed to higher levels have been found to be at risk of organ cancers, heart disease, immune system problems and endocrine changes, such as hormonal imbalances. They can also trigger hormonal issues, suppressed immunity womenstrual issues, diabetes and weight loss.

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, which means they are more easily to be absorbed by the body through the intake of meat, dairy products, fish, and other seafood.

It is nevertheless important to remember that the amount of exposure that has negative effects on your health depends on many factors, including the amount you eat or drink, how often you consume alcohol or food, and how often you breathe. It is also crucial to consider your age, gender and diet, nutritional status and family characteristics, as well as other health factors that can influence whether you will be affected by dioxins or not.

The type of contaminant equally important. According to the EPA certain toxins are more dangerous than others to the health of humans. For instance, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are more likely to have a negative impact on your health than creosote.

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

Houston's Fifth Ward and Kashmere Garden neighbors have complained for years about a cluster of cancer deaths that are connected to the Union Pacific rail yard. The yard is situated close to their homes. The city's health department reported on Friday that it had discovered cancer-causing chemical compounds in surface samples near the rail yard. The release stated that the findings were "not encouraging." FOX 26's Mayor Sylvester Turner stated that he plans on suing Union Pacific over the matter and that a plan submitted by Texas environmental regulators will not be sufficient.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are toxic chemicals that have been used in industrial and consumer products for over 60 years. After being proven to cause cancer and suppress the immune system These chemicals were banned in 1979.

Once released into the environment, PCBs contaminate air, water, and soil in a variety of areas around the world. They are strong binders of organic matter and can be easily transported and accumulated in the environment.

In the end, PCBs are a major issue for the protection of health and safety of people and the environment. They are considered a probable human carcinogen by EPA and have been demonstrated to cause cancer in laboratory animals.

In addition certain studies have linked PCBs to birth defects in children. This is particularly relevant for children who have been exposed to these chemicals while during pregnancy.

PCBs are most commonly ingested through food items. Fish is the primary source of exposure, since they are the source of the most PCBs. However, PCBs can also found in beef, dairy products, and other agricultural products.

Another way to be exposed to PCBs is by drinking or showering with water that has been contaminated with PCBs. This can be caused by leaks or spills that can occur in electrical and other equipment.

Additionally, people can be exposed to PCBs through breathing the air or by touching the skin. These chemicals can cause the condition known as chloracne which is a tiny, pale skin lesions that can be present for a period of weeks or years.

However, the effects of PCBs on human health are not yet fully understood. Researchers have suggested that they could cause liver and biliary cancers in humans. However it is necessary to conduct more research to understand how this impacts us.

The EPA is also studying whether these chemicals might cause birth defects in newborn babies. A low birth weight is associated with insulin resistance or Type II diabetes, 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 highly toxic metal that can be found in a variety of items, such as paints, pipes and food containers. It is absorbed into the body through two major routes: respiratory and oral.

It is an extremely antioxidant and can react with other chemicals in the surrounding. This can cause it to accumulate within the body. This can lead to serious health problems like cancer and other diseases.

In Houston, people who live near a creosote legacy treatment plant owned by Union Pacific Railroad have a high risk of developing cancer. The city has asked the federal government to instruct the railroad to clean up its toxic site.

Union Pacific Railroad has a history of having been a source of contamination for its Fifth Ward rail yard and Kashmere Garden neighborhood with chemicals that could cause cancer. Residents claim that the company has been working to get rid of the pollution, but the plan that was 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 serious consequences of the contamination. A recent study by the department of health shows that the concentration of creosote present in soil samples in the rail yard is much higher than the recommended level for drinking water.





Another major concern is that the creosote is slowly dispersing into the air. It can cause residents to breathe toxic levels of vapors which can cause fatalities for children and adults.

It is also possible that the fumes are causing cancers to those who breathe the vapors in. To find out more about the effects of the vapors on lives of residents, a door-to-door survey is being done in the neighborhood.

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

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