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Union Pacific Houston Cancer - Is Creosote Still Affecting Houstonians?

Houston's Fifth Ward neighbors have complained for years that the company hasn’t taken the necessary steps to clean up an underground plume contaminated rail yard. The most recent tests have shown that contamination could still be impacting residents living near.

Researchers believe that it could be due to the high number of cancers in the area. Two years into a state-wide health investigation and they found higher than expected levels of childhood lymphoblastic leukemia as well as adult kidney and renal pelvis cancers in the neighborhoods around the Union Pacific site.

Creosote

Creosote, a common chemical, is used in the treatment of wood. It is also a cause of cancer in people who are exposed to it.

It is a dense oily substance, from amber to black in color. It has a smoky scent and a burnt taste. It is a coal-tar distillation product that has been used for more than 150 years as a wood preserver.

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 can also be used to protect log structures and homes from decay and insect infestation.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), creosote is a chemical that could be dangerous. In the event of exposure to creosote for a short periods of time can cause skin and eye irritation chemical burns stomach discomfort, burning of the throat or mouth and liver or kidney problems and even permanent damage.

Exposure for long periods can cause skin and scrotum carcinomas. This is a significant concern for those who come in direct contact with it during wood treatment or other manufacturing processes.

According to the EPA the EPA, it is a possible human cancer-causing agent. It has been linked with a variety of cancers of various types such as esophageal or lung cancer.

Houston's Fifth Ward residents have been exposed for decades to creosote because of a former railroad yard that was close to their homes. The chemical is said to have caused soil and homes to be contaminated, and it continues to spread underground.

Harris County and Houston have joined forces in the fight against Union Pacific in federal court. They want the company to test regularly for contamination and take steps to prevent the spread of the disease.

In October 2017 a group of Fifth Ward neighbors filed a lawsuit against Union Pacific. They claim that creosote from the former rail yard is contaminating soil beneath their homes , causing serious health issues.

They are seeking damages from the railroad to cover the cost of cleanup as well as other related costs. They claim they've been harmed by environmental racism discrimination, sexism, and other forms of pollution that affected their families and themselves.

Dioxin

Dioxins are a class of chemicals that don't break down in environment quickly . They can be left in the air, soil or in sediment for long periods. They are found in a variety of places such as natural disasters, industrial accidents, cigarettes and incineration and hazardous waste.

The health effects of dioxin are unclear at low levels, but there is evidence that suggests they can cause cancer and other serious diseases. People who are exposed to higher levels have been found to be at risk of heart disease, organ cancers, immune system disorders and endocrine imbalances, such as hormonal imbalances. They can also cause reproductive problems, a depressed immune system, menstrual issues and diabetes hair growth, weight loss and facial cysts, known as chloracne.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the most frequent way that people are exposed to the toxins is through water and food. They aren't liquid or volatile, which means they are more likely to be in the body through the consumption of meat, dairy products, fish or other seafood.

It is crucial to keep in mind that exposure to dioxins can affect your health, based on numerous factors like how much you eat, drink, and the frequency with which you breathe.  Cancer Lawsuits  is also essential to consider your age, gender and nutrition status, as well as diet and family traits along with other health factors that may affect your risk of being affected by dioxins or not.

The kind of contaminant is also crucial. The EPA states that certain toxins are more likely to have a negative impact on human health than others. Polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs are more likely than creosote negatively impact your health.

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

Houston's Fifth Ward and Kashmere Garden neighbors have complained for years about cluster of cancers that have been that are linked to the Union Pacific rail yard. The yard is right close to their homes. The announcement released on Friday by Houston's health department stated that it had found cancer-causing chemicals in surfaces near the rail yard. The announcement said the results were "not encouraging." FOX 26's Mayor Sylvester Turner stated that he intends to sue Union Pacific over the matter and that a plan proposed by Texas environmental regulators won't suffice.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls

PCBs, also referred to as polychlorinated biphenyls, are toxic chemicals that have been in use for more than 60 years in both consumer and industrial products. After being found to cause cancer and weaken the immune system the immune system, these chemicals were banned in 1979.

PCBs can infect soil as well as water and air in a variety of regions of the world once they are released into the environment. They bind strongly to organic matter, and tend to remain in the environment for a long time which means they are easy to transport and accumulate in the environment.

PCBs are a major concern for protecting the environment and public health. The EPA considers them to be a possible human carcinogen and has proved that they can cause cancer in laboratory animals.

Certain studies also show a link between PCBs to birth defects in children. This is especially applicable to children who have been exposed to these chemicals while during the pregnancy.

The primary route of exposure to PCBs is through food. Because they are the highest in PCBs Fish is the primary source of exposure. However, PCBs can also found in beef, dairy products and other agricultural products.

Another way to be exposed PCBs is by drinking or showering with water that is infected with PCBs. This can be caused by leaks or spills from electrical equipment and other.

People are also exposed to PCBs through breathing in the air or by skin contact. These chemicals can cause an illness known as Chloracne. It is a small pale, yellow-colored lesions that can last from months or even years.

However, the effects of PCBs on human health aren't fully comprehended. Some researchers have suggested that they may cause liver and the biliary tract cancers among humans, but further studies are needed to understand the extent to which this impacts us.

The EPA is also studying whether these chemicals may cause birth defects in newborn babies. Low birth weight has been linked with insulin resistance or Type II diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases later in the course of. 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 is present in a variety of products like paints, pipes and food cans. It can be absorbed by the body via two main routes: respiratory and oral.

It is an extremely antioxidant and is prone to react with other chemicals in the environment. It is able to accumulate within the body and can cause serious health issues like cancer and other illnesses.

In Houston the residents who live close to a creosote-based treatment facility owned by the Union Pacific Railroad have a high risk of developing cancer. The city has asked the federal government to direct the railroad to clean up its toxic site.

Union Pacific Railroad has a long history of having been a source of contamination for its Fifth Ward rail yard and Kashmere Garden neighborhood with chemicals that can cause cancer. Residents claim that the railroad has been working to eliminate the contamination, but the plan presented to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was not sufficient.

One of the most significant issues that resulted from the contamination is the groundwater plume beneath homes in the region.  Railroad Injury Settlement Amounts  conducted by health officials has shown that soil samples taken from the rail yard contain a higher concentration of creosote than what is required for drinking water.

Railroad Workers  to be concerned is that the creosote is slowly escaping into the air. As it escapes, it causes residents to breathe in dangerous levels of vapors which are harmful for children as well as adults.

It is possible that the vapors could cause cancer among those who breathe them. A door-to-door health survey is being carried out in the neighborhood to learn more about how the vapors affect the residents' lives.

This is a major issue for the Fifth Ward communities and Kashmere Gardens. This is a terribly sad situation that needs to be addressed immediately.

A Department of State Health Services study found that the rate of leukemia was five times higher in children who lived in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens areas than was expected. The study also found that adult cancers were more common in these neighborhoods than in other areas of Texas.