As Vice President Vance Visits East Palestine, Ohio, for Second Anniversary of Toxic Train Derailment, Beyond Plastics Calls for More Than Just a Photo-Op
For Immediate Release: February 3, 2025
Contact:
Melissa Valliant, Beyond Plastics — melissavalliant@bennington.edu, (410) 829-0726
Judith Enck, Beyond Plastics — judithenck@bennington.edu, (518) 605-1770
Today, U.S. Vice President JD Vance and EPA administrator Lee Zeldin plan to visit East Palestine, Ohio, on the second anniversary of the train derailment that has left residents requesting an emergency declaration even today, two years later. In response, Beyond Plastics released the following statements:
“My community was thrust into a nightmare that no town should have to face, and we are still reeling from the aftermath of this disaster. From the intentional and unnecessary burning of vinyl chloride in the train cars, to the refusal to conduct long-term health monitoring of residents, authorities have forced my community to fend for itself. We’ve been told that everything is safe. The truth: For two years we have been exposed to dangerous chemicals, and no one has been held accountable,” said Beyond Plastics Appalachia director and East Palestine resident Jess Conard. “Vice President Vance and EPA administrator Zeldin, we need meaningful action here in East Palestine. Please don’t leave our town with only photos. We need an emergency declaration, relocation assistance, and health care for those of us who are still here surviving one day at a time.”
“The train that derailed in East Palestine and uprooted residents’ lives was carrying vinyl chloride, a carcinogenic chemical used in the production of polyvinyl, or PVC, plastic. East Palestine joins hundreds of other towns across America at risk of the same catastrophe as 36 million pounds of this dangerous chemical travel on more than 200 rail cars across nearly 2,000 miles of U.S. railways at any given moment — all to make a toxic product for which there are safe alternatives available,” said Beyond Plastics president and former EPA regional administrator Judith Enck. “Companies like to tout that plastic is cheap, but try telling that to residents of East Palestine and the communities located around vinyl chloride production plants suffering from facilities’ health impacts. Vice President Vance has an opportunity today to show the public that he’s more than just words — his administration can issue an emergency declaration for East Palestine and start prioritizing people over plastic.”
About Beyond Plastics
Launched in 2019, Beyond Plastics is a nationwide project that pairs the wisdom and experience of environmental policy experts with the energy and creativity of grassroots advocates to build a vibrant and effective movement to end plastic pollution and promote alternatives to plastics. Using deep policy and advocacy expertise, Beyond Plastics is building a well-informed, effective movement seeking to achieve the institutional, economic, and societal changes needed to save our planet and ourselves, from the negative health, climate, and environmental impacts for the production, usage, and disposal of plastics.
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