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Union Pacific Houston Cancer - Is Creosote Still Affecting Houstonians?

Houston's Fifth Ward neighbors have complained for decades that the company hasn't done enough to clean up an underground plume that is contaminated rail yard. And now, the latest tests show that the contamination could continue to affect people who live near.

Researchers suggest it could be due to higher cancer rates in the region. Two years into a health inspection by the state the researchers found higher than anticipated levels of childhood lymphoblastic leukemia as well as adult kidney and renal pelvis cancers within the communities around the Union Pacific site.

Creosote

Creosote is a chemical commonly employed in the treatment of wood. It can also cause cancer in those exposed to it.

It is a thick oily substance which is black or amber-colored and has a smokey odor and burnt taste. It is a distillation of coal product that has been used for more than 150 years as an ingredient in wood preservative.

It is used in the United States to treat railroad tieways, as well as other kinds of woods, such as fence posts, utility poles, and marine pilings. It can also be used to shield log homes and other structures from rot and insect infestation.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) creosote can be potentially dangerous chemical. Exposure to it for short periods can cause irritation to the skin and eyes, chemical burns, stomach pain burning of the throat or mouth, and kidney or liver problems.

Long-term exposure may cause skin and scrotum cancer. Workers who come in direct contact with it during wood treatment or other manufacturing processes are at risk.

It is believed to be a human carcinogen, according to the EPA. It has been linked with several cancers, including esophageal as well as lung cancer.

Residents of Houston's Fifth Ward neighborhood have been exposed to creosote for a long time due to an old rail yard close to their homes. They claim that the chemical has 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 for contamination on a regular basis and take preventative measures to stop it from spreading.

A group of Fifth Ward neighbors filed an action against Union Pacific in October of 2017. They allege that creosote from the former rail yard is contaminating soil under their homes and causing significant health problems.

They are seeking damages from the railroad in order to cover the cost of cleanup as well as other related costs. They claim they are victimized by environmental racism and discrimination in addition to other forms of pollution that has impacted them and their families.

Dioxin

Dioxins are chemicals that do not break down quickly in the environment and they can stay in the air, water, or sediment for a long period of time. They can come from a variety of sources, such as natural catastrophes, industrial accidents, smoking cigarettes, and the incineration process of hazardous waste.

Although the health effects of dioxin at low levels aren't identified yet, there is evidence suggesting that they could cause serious illnesses like cancer. Dioxin levels that are higher are linked to a higher risk of heart disease, organ cancers as well as immune-related issues and endocrine disorders, including hormonal imbalances. They can also lead to problems with hormones, immune suppression, diabetes, menstrual issues and weight loss.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the most common way people are exposed to the toxins is through food and water. They are not water-soluble or volatile, so they are more likely to be taken into the body via the consumption of dairy products, fish, and other seafood.

But it is important to remember that the level of exposure that will have adverse effects on your health is contingent upon many factors, including the amount you eat or drink, how often you eat or drink and how much you breathe. You should also consider your gender, age, nutrition, and family traits to determine if your family will be exposed to dioxins.

Additionally, the type of contaminant can be an important factor. The EPA says that some toxins are more likely to have a damaging effect on human health than others. Polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs are more likely than creosote affect your health.

PCBs can cause damage to the eyes and kidneys, liver, and kidneys. They can also affect the immune system and cause problems with the development of healthy bones, teeth, and bones.

Houston's Fifth Ward and Kashmere Garden neighbors have complained for a long time about cluster cancer deaths connected to the Union Pacific rail yard. The yard is located close to their homes. The city's health department reported on Friday that it found cancer-causing substances in surface samples of the rail yard. The release stated that the findings were not encouraging. FOX 26's Mayor Sylvester Turner stated that he plans on suing Union Pacific over the matter and that a plan proposed by Texas environmental regulators won't suffice.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

PCBs, also known as polychlorinated Biphenyls, are noxious chemicals that have been used for more than 60 years in consumer and industrial products. After being shown to cause cancer and to suppress the immune system PCBs were banned in 1979.

PCBs can be harmful to soil, water, and air in many areas around the globe after they are released into the environment. They are extremely binders to organic matter, and are generally persistent and therefore, are simple to transport and accumulate in the environment.

PCBs are a major problem for protecting the environment and public health. They are considered a probable human carcinogen by EPA, and have been proven to cause cancer in lab animals.

Additionally, some studies have found a link between PCBs to birth defects in children. This is especially true for children exposed to these chemicals while pregnant.

PCBs are most often ingested through food items. Since they are the most abundant in PCBs, fish is the main source of exposure. However, PCBs can also be found in beef and dairy and other agricultural products.

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

Similarly,  railway settlement calculator  can also be exposed to PCBs by breathing in air or through their skin. These chemicals can cause a condition called Chloracne. It is a small pale, yellow-colored lesions that may last for weeks or even years.

The effects of PCBs on the health of humans aren't fully understood. Some researchers have suggested that they could cause liver or the biliary tract cancers among humans, but more research is needed to find out how this affects us.

EPA has also been examining whether these chemicals cause birth defects in newborns, like low birth weight. A low birth weight has been associated with Type II diabetes, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and later-life cardiovascular disease. 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 can be found in many items including paints, pipes, and food cans. The body can absorb it via two routes: the respiratory and oral.

It is a powerful chemical that oxidizes and reacts with other chemicals present in your environment. This can cause it to accumulate within the body and lead to serious health problems such as cancer and other ailments.

Houston residents who reside near the Union Pacific Railroad's creosote-based plant that is its legacy are at a high risk of cancer. The city has asked for the federal government's help in the cleanup of the railroad's toxic site.

The Union Pacific Railroad has a history of contamination of its rail yard in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens neighborhood with carcinogenic chemicals to humans, like creosote. The company has been trying to remove the mess, but the plan submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is not sufficient residents believe.

The plume of groundwater below homes in the affected area is one of the most severe effects of the contamination. A recent study conducted by health officials has revealed that soil samples taken from the rail yard have higher levels of creosote than what is required for drinking water.

Another issue is that the creosote vapor is slowly escaping into the air. It causes residents to breathe toxic levels of vapors which can cause fatalities for children as well as adults.

It is also possible that the fumes are causing cancers to the residents who are breathing them in. A door-to-door health survey is currently being conducted in the neighborhood to learn more about how the vapors are impacting the lives of the residents.

This is a serious issue for the Fifth Ward communities and Kashmere Gardens. This is a very tragic situation that needs to be dealt with immediately.

A recent study by the Department of State Health Services found that children in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Garden neighborhoods contracted a type of leukemia at a five times higher rate than the average. The study also revealed that adult cancers were more common in the neighborhood than elsewhere in Texas.