Researchers have found that cases of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and lack of trust in public officials are rising roughly two-and-a-half years after a Norfolk Southern train derailed and spilled toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio.

Why It Matters

On February 3, 2023, a freight train carrying toxic chemicals —including vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl—derailed in East Palestine about a quarter mile west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line and spilled toxins in a waterway feeding into the Ohio River.

National attention was paid to the incident due to nefarious effects on locals and the broader environment. Then-President Joe Biden and his administration were ridiculed for their response, accused of not publi

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