COLUMBUS – Governor Mike DeWine has expressed serious concerns about a “stall” in the removal of contaminated soil from East Palestine, where a train derailment on Feb. 3 led to a controlled burn of toxic chemicals on board.
DeWine says a pile of approximately 24,400 tons of excavated soil is waiting to be hauled away from East Palestine, while only 2,980 tons have actually been removed to disposal sites in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana, creating the threat of future contamination and putting residents’ health at risk, DeWine said.
The threats cannot be fully eliminated until the contaminated soil is removed from East Palestine, he said.
“While I understand the steps the U.S. EPA is taking to ensure that the waste is disposed of in a safe and proper matter, the fact that waste removal has stalled is outrageous,” he said.
Under federal law, hazardous waste must be disposed of at permitted waste treatment and disposal facilities that meet regulatory requirements.
DeWine says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is requiring pre-approval of all disposal and transport of contaminated soil and liquids from the East Palestine site, creating an additional unnecessary step beyond existing federal safety regulations.
“All licensed hazardous waste facilities in the country are well equipped to dispose of this soil – and, quite frankly, much more dangerous waste – in a safe manner,” DeWine said. “It’s time to get this process moving.”
Contaminated soil from East Palestine is being transported to facilities in Grafton, East Liverpool, Belleville, Mich., and North Roachdale, Ind.
According to the Ohio EPA, approximately 4.85 million gallons of liquid wastewater from the site have been hauled to Vickery, Texas and Michigan.