What to Know When Reporting on Chemical Accidents
Chemical accidents happen once every two days in the United States, most with little fanfare or coverage. However, they’ve received increased attention after the accident in East Palestine, Ohio last month, when an overheated bearing in a rail car caused a train derailment and spilled vinyl chloride and butyl acetate into public areas, poisoning fish and creating extreme concerns for clean air and water within range of the accident. These chemicals cause symptoms ranging from mild (eye and skin irritation) to fatal (asphyxia, cancer). Questions remain about how the situation is being handled. “There’s been a lot of nebulous discussion about testing and safety and following the science, but there’s actually no cohesive explanation about what they did, why they did it and what they’re doing now,” said Andrew Whelton, a professor of environmental and ecological engineering at Purdue University. In the aftermath of the spill, one journalist was arrested.
This conflicting information is especially frustrating to both rail workers and communities affected by the spill, who find themselves wondering if the air is safe to breathe and water is safe to drink. What’s more, more than 39 percent of the U.S. population lives within three miles of a hazardous facility—meaning there’s potential for more of these deadly spills to affect the populace.
So what can journalists do to help communities really understand the consequences of chemical spills?
UNDERSTAND THE CHEMICALS INVOLVED
It's essential to understand the chemicals involved in an accident, their properties, and the risks they pose to human health and the environment. The Chemical Safety Board (CSB) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are good sources of information on chemicals and their potential hazards. The consequences and potential hazards of each chemical should be simplified, streamlined, and clearly stated in the body of the piece so that readers can really understand the stakes of the spill.
iNVESTIGATE THE CAUSE AND REPORT ON IT
Accidents happen for a number of reasons: human error, mechanical failure, or a combination of factors. In the case of East Palestine, a number of factors contributed to the derailment which led to the chemical spill, including former President Donald Trump’s rollbacks of rail safety regulations and continued issues ignoring worker demands throughout the Biden administration. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading an investigation into the derailment and has the most up-to-date data available.
UNDERSTAND THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
Disasters and emergencies such as the train derailment in East Palestine are approached with a regulatory framework, or a protocol, that officials must follow when dealing with chemical safety and emergency response. This information is available publicly through the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and the Clean Air Act, each of which deals with a different angle of response: community response, worker response, and government response.
STAY SAFE
It is highly recommended that reporters do not approach the site of a chemical accident without a government official or a safety officer nearby. Chemical accidents are hazardous. Follow guidelines set by local officials and wear personal protective equipment if necessary. It’s also essential to set up check-in points with your newsroom and your team—both the newsroom and the individual should make sure there is a plan in place to address any adverse effects from chemical exposure, should that become a concern.
AVOID SENSATIONALISM
Chemical spills sound absolutely terrifying. In the case of East Palestine, a number of questions have arisen around the safety of the surrounding communities. Sensationalist reporting led to panic buying, which quickly depleted all grocery stores within driving distance of the community of bottled water. However, safety officials continue to reiterate that the air and drinking water in the areas surrounding the accident are safe for human consumption. However, the community’s trust has been irrevocably shaken. "They'll be living with this both environmentally and psychologically for a long time. And I don't see any really quick return to normal," said Noah Sachs, a professor of environmental law at the University of Richmond.
A scary event like a chemical spill requires a great deal of attention to detail to report accurately. Sticking close to the facts and the most up-to-date information available will be the key for journalists to make sure unfettered, unbiased details about what communities can do to protect their health and safety in the face of such disasters are available as soon as humanly possible after the event.
