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Union Pacific Houston Cancer - Is Creosote Still Affecting Houstonians?

Houston's Fifth Ward neighbors have complained for years that the company hasn’t taken the necessary steps to clean the plume of underground pollution that has contaminated the rail yard. The latest tests have shown that contamination could still be in the vicinity of residents.

Researchers believe that it could be due to the large number of cancers found in the region. Two years after launching an investigation into health issues across the state and a study by researchers, they found that there were higher than expected rates of lymphoblastic cancer in children and adult pelvis and kidney cancers in the area surrounding the Union Pacific site.

Creosote

Creosote, a common chemical, is employed in the treatment of wood. It is also a poisonous substance that can cause cancer in those exposed to it.

It is a dense, oily substance that is black or amber in appearance and has a smoky scent and burnt taste. It is a distillation of coal product that has been used for railroad workers cancer over 150 years to preserve wood.

It is widely used in the United States to treat Railroad Cancer Settlement Amounts Workers Cancer (Learn Additional Here) tieways, as well as other kinds of woods, like fence posts, utility poles, as well as pilings for marine use. It can also be used for protecting log structures and homes against insects and rot.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Creosote is an extremely dangerous chemical. Short-term exposure can cause irritation of the skin and eyes and chemical burns stomach discomfort and burning in the throat or mouth and liver or kidney issues.

Long-term exposure to the sun can cause skin and scrotum cancer. This is a serious issue for workers who have direct contact with it during wood treatment or in other manufacturing processes.

According to the EPA, it is a known human cancer-causing agent. It has been linked to a variety of different cancer types such as esophageal or lung cancer.

Residents of Houston's Fifth Ward neighborhood have been exposed to creosote over the years, thanks to a former rail yard near their homes. They claim that the chemical has contaminated their homes, soil, and continues to spread underground.

Harris County and Houston have joined forces to fight Union Pacific in federal court. They want the company to test for contamination regularly and take preventative measures to stop the spread.

In October of 2017, a group of Fifth Ward neighbors filed a lawsuit against Union Pacific. They claim that creosote that was emitted from the former rail yard is contaminating the soil beneath their homes and causing serious health issues.

They are seeking damages from the Railroad Cancer Lawsuit in order to cover the cost of cleanup as well as other related costs. They claim to have been harmed by racism in the environment and discrimination, as well as other forms of pollution that affected them and their families.

Dioxin

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

The effects of dioxin on health are not clear at low levels, but there is evidence that they may cause Cancer Lawsuits as well as other serious illnesses. People who are exposed to higher levels have been found to be at greater risk of heart disease, organ cancers, immune system disorders and endocrine disorders, such as hormonal imbalances. They can also lead to reproductive problems, a suppressed immune system, diabetes and menstrual issues as well as hair loss, weight gain and facial cysts called chloracne.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the most common method people are exposed to dioxin is through drinking water or food. They aren't water-soluble or volatile, so they are more likely to be absorbed into the body through the consumption of dairy products, fish or other seafood.

It is crucial to keep in mind that exposure to dioxins can cause harm to your health, depending on many factors , including how much you drink, eat, and the frequency you breathe. It is also essential to take into consideration your gender, age as well as your diet, nutritional status and family characteristics and other factors in your health that could affect your risk of being affected by dioxins or not.

Furthermore, the kind of contaminant is another important aspect. The EPA states that certain toxic substances are more likely to cause harm effect on human health than others. Polychlorinated Biphenyls, or PCBs, are more likely than creosote to have a negative effect on your health.

PCBs can cause damage to eyes and liver, kidneys and kidneys. They also can harm the immune system of the person and hinder the growth of healthy teeth and bones.

Houston's Fifth Ward and Kashmere Garden neighbors have complained for years about cluster of cancer deaths that are linked to the Union Pacific rail yard. The yard is next to their homes. The city's health department announced on Friday that it had found cancer-causing chemicals in surface samples around the rail yard. The release stated that the results were not encouraging. Mayor Sylvester Turner told FOX 26 that he plans to sue Union Pacific over the matter, and said a plan submitted to Texas environmental regulators won't be adequate in light of the findings.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are toxic chemicals that have been used in consumer and industrial products for over 60 years. After being proven to cause cancer and weaken the immune system, these chemicals were banned in 1979.

PCBs can contaminate soil or water as well as air in a variety of regions of the globe once they are released into the environment. They are strong binders for organic matter that can be easily transported and then accumulated in the environment.

In the end, PCBs are a major issue for the protection of public health and the environment. They are considered a probable human carcinogen by EPA, and have been shown to cause cancer in lab animals.

Certain studies also show a link between PCBs to birth defects in children. This is especially applicable to children who have been exposed to these chemicals during the pregnancy.

The main route of exposure to PCBs is through food. Because they are the highest in PCBs fish is the most significant source of exposure. However, PCBs can also be found in dairy and beef and other agricultural products.

Another method of being exposed to PCBs is by drinking or showering with water that has been contaminated with PCBs. This could be caused by leaks or spillages in electrical or other equipment.

Similar to this, people may be exposed to PCBs by breathing in air or through their skin. These chemicals can trigger an illness known as Chloracne. This is a mild, pale, yellow-colored skin lesions that may last for months or even years.

However, the effects of PCBs on human health are not yet completely comprehended. Some researchers have suggested they could cause liver or the biliary tract cancers among humans, but more research is needed to find out the extent to which this impacts us.

The EPA is also investigating whether these chemicals may cause birth defects in newborns. The low birth weight of newborns has been linked to Type II diabetes, insulin resistance and Railroad Workers Cancer 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 toxic metal that can be found in many items like paints pipes and food cans. The body absorbs it via two routes: the respiratory and oral.

It is a strong antioxidant and is prone to react with other chemicals in the surrounding. This could cause it to build up in the body , and could lead to serious health problems such as cancer and other ailments.

In Houston the residents who live near a creosote legacy treatment facility run by Union Pacific Railroad Cancer Lawsuit Settlements have a high risk of developing cancer. The city has asked for the federal government's help in cleaning up the railroad's contaminated facility.

Union Pacific Railroad has a history in which it has been a source of contamination for its Fifth Ward rail yard and Kashmere Garden neighborhood with chemicals that can cause cancer. The company has been working to remove the contamination, but the plan presented to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality isn't enough residents say.

Groundwater plume below the homes in the affected area is among the most dangerous consequences of the contamination. A recent study by health officials has found that soil samples taken from the rail yard have more creosote than the recommended amount for drinking water.

Another major concern is that the creosote vapor is slowly escaping into the air. As it is, it causes residents to breathe dangerous levels of vapors that are dangerous for children and adults.

It is also possible that vapors are causing cancers in the residents who breathe the vapors in. To learn more about the effect of the vapors in the lives of residents the neighborhood, a door-to-door survey being conducted in the neighborhood.

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

A Department of State Health Services study found that the rate of leukemia was five times higher in children living in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens areas than was expected. The study also found that adult cancers were more prevalent in the neighborhoods than they were elsewhere in Texas.