Hazardous waste from the site of a Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio will face further testing before being transported to a landfill in Roachdale, Indiana.
Three shipments of waste have already been brought to the landfill, according to an IndyStar article. The remaining waste will be tested for long-lasting chemicals called dioxins, which can cause cancer and other health issues.
The decision by the EPA to transport the waste to Indiana resulted in widespread backlash among Hoosiers, with Gov. Eric Holcomb and community members in the area of the landfill raising objections.
“The materials should go to the nearest facilities, not moved from the far eastern side of Ohio to the far western side of Indiana,” Holcomb said in a statement on February 28th.
Residents in Russellville, Indiana, about 10 miles away from Roachdale, have expressed distrust in the handling of the transportation and storage of the waste. Heritage Environmental Services, which owns the landfill, has had three years of non-compliance with EPA regulations since spring 2020.
