ENVIRONMENT

Results: Hazardous waste from Ohio train wreck doesn't contain harmful levels of dioxins

Sarah Bowman
Indianapolis Star

The contaminated soil that has arrived in Indiana from the train wreck in Ohio does not contain any harmful levels of dioxins, a toxic chemical that can cause cancer, according to results from sampling ordered by the Governor.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced last week that he was directing his administration to conduct testing of the hazardous waste that had arrived at an Indiana landfill — three shipments of contaminated soil arrived last week. The state said it was working with a third-party laboratory, Pace Labs out of Minnesota.

Initial samples were taken on March 4 and testing began that same day. Pace Labs completed and shared the results, Holcomb announced in a release Wednesday evening. While some levels of various types of dioxins were tested, the report says that none of the amounts detected exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's treatment standards.

"These results indicate that the material tested does not contain any harmful levels of dioxins when compared to acceptable levels established by the EPA," Holcomb said in the release.

The landfill operated by Heritage Environmental Services Wednesday, March 1, 2023, before the public meeting held by Heritage Environmental Services at the Russellville Community Center in Russellville, Ind. The landfill has already taken in three truckloads of contaminated soil from the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio and expects more in the coming days which has Roachdale and Russellville community members concerned.

The hazardous waste landfill, which sits 40 miles west of Indianapolis and is operated by Heritage Environmental Services, is not permitted to receive certain hazardous waste streams that contain dioxins, according to a company official. But it can accept dioxins that are naturally occurring or in wastes at trace amounts below specific levels, Heritage vice president Ali Alavi told IndyStar.

These results demonstrate that the landfill is lawfully permitted to dispose of that material at its site, Holcomb said in his release. He added that the state has informed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as well as Heritage of the results.

Toxic chemicals:EPA temporarily stops hazardous waste coming to Indiana landfill for additional testing

The EPA also agreed to pause shipping any further waste to an Indiana landfill until further testing can confirm there are no harmful levels of dioxins in the soil still at the site of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

Dioxins are a chemical compound that takes a long time to break down once they are in the environment, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They are "highly toxic" and can cause cancer, reproductive and development problems as well as damage to the immune system, as listed on the EPA website. Dioxins can be produced through industrial activities as well as through combustion processes and then attach to dust particles.

Holcomb said the state will have Pace Labs continue to test any future loads that may arrive in Indiana from East Palestine to confirm none of the materials contain harmful levels of dioxins.

Holcomb and other state officials — including U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, Attorney General Todd Rokita and Congressman Jim Baird — have expressed concerns and raised oppositions to the waste coming to Indiana. Those worries have been echoed by area residents, who have said they are uneasy about the waste coming to their community.

A law enforcement officer watches the crowd as community members ask questions Wednesday, March 1, 2023, during a public meeting held by Heritage Environmental Services at the Russellville Community Center in Russellville, Ind. The landfill operated by Heritage Environmental Services has already taken in three truckloads of contaminated soil from the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio and expects more in the coming days which has Roachdale and Russellville community members concerned.

Call IndyStar reporter Sarah Bowman at 317-444-6129 or email at sarah.bowman@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @IndyStarSarah. Connect with IndyStar’s environmental reporters: Join The Scrub on Facebook.

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.