East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment On February 3, 50 Norfolk Southern train cars came off the track in East Palestine, Ohio due to a rail car axle having a mechanical issue. Eleven of the cars had harmful chemicals including butyl acrylate and vinyl chloride. Authorities believed the chemicals could create a large explosion, so a […]
Contractors Fined More Than $1 Million for Illegal Asbestos Disposal
Contractors Fined More Than $1 Million for Illegal Asbestos Disposal A contractor has been fined by the Allegheny County Health Department for almost $1.1 million for the illegal disposing of asbestos at the former Westinghouse headquarters. Ramesh Jain and his son Vikas Jain appealed the fine in 2017, which was later dismissed January 12, giving […]
Do We Need to Worry About Gas Stove Pollution in our Homes?
Do We Need to Worry About Gas Stove Pollution in our Homes? People are starting to worry about gas stovetops making them sick. Questions about stovetop safety started to come up again because federal officials cleared up a misunderstanding by claiming they are not going to ban natural-gas stoves. Studies show that gas stoves emit […]
Many Workers Exposed to Asbestos at Chlor-Alkali Plants
Many Workers Exposed to Asbestos at Chlor-Alkali Plants Many chlor-alkali factory workers claim they were exposed to asbestos on the job. In the Olin Corp. chemical plant, workers saw asbestos in certain areas of the plant daily. Some people who worked in the plant as recently as last year say they were exposed to asbestos […]
Researchers Can Map PFAS Exposure to Try to Stop Contamination Sources
Researchers Can Map PFAS Exposure to Try to Stop Contamination Sources Many residents of Brunswick and New Hanover counties in North Carolina didn’t know why they had higher rates of brain tumors, breast cancers, and other rare diseases. These counties are downriver from a Chemours fluorochemical manufacturing plant and residents now know PFAS contamination is […]
Lung Cancer Awareness Month 2022
Lung Cancer Awareness Month 2022 November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. There are two types of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. Most cases, around 80 to 85 percent of lung cancers, are non-small cell. It can be broken down into adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. These […]
Many Schools do not Test for Radon, Risking Safety of Students, Teachers, and Staff
Many Schools do not Test for Radon, Risking Safety of Students, Teachers, and Staff Many children in southwestern Pennsylvania could be at risk of radon exposure. Most schools in the area do not test for the colorless and odorless radioactive gas even though the area has one of the largest concentrations of radon in the […]
Different Treatment Options for Mesothelioma
Different Treatment Options for Mesothelioma Mesothelioma is a rare cancer with limited treatment options. It is usually diagnosed at a late stage, making the cancer hard to treat. Once people inhale asbestos fibers, the fibers cannot be broken down or removed by the body. The fibers then cause DNA changes in the body, turning them […]
Weirton Steel Mill
Weirton Steel Mill Weirton Steel was founded by Ernest Weir in 1909. He originally started at U.S. Steel and ended up as a general manager of the Monessen tin plate mill, but in 1905, he left to buy a tin plate mill in Clarksburg, West Virginia. He expanded his operation to Holiday’s Cove, which was […]
Mesothelioma Awareness Month 2022
Mesothelioma Awareness Month 2022 September is Mesothelioma Awareness Month. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the mesothelium, which is a thin membrane that lines different areas of the body. The four types of mesothelioma include: pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, and vaginalis testis which affect the linings of the lungs, abdomen, heart, and testicles respectively. There are […]