EAST PALESTINE, Ohio —The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened a storefront community welcome center for East Palestine residents on Tuesday, following a train derailment and release of toxic chemicals. 

What You Need To Know

  • FEMA and EPA gave joint press conference about new testing for toxins in the air following a Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine

  • The EPA opened storefront welcome center for residents to ask questions and register for testing

  • The EPA explained why it is not testing heavily for dioxins 

Federal agencies also announced a new type of testing for any toxins in the air.

In a joint press conference, FEMA and the EPA officials said they’re now focused on the long-term recovery process in East Palestine. The EPA deployed its Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA) to the area. The bus is a self-contained mobile lab that conducts real-time monitoring of the air.

The bus will test the air daily, but many people here still have questions about what toxins the air is being tested for and whether additional tests should be done. Some are pushing to test for dioxins, a highly toxic pollutant.

Debra Shore with the EPA explained why they are not testing heavily for dioxins and reassured people the air inside the homes they've tested so far is safe. 

"We found no exceedance of volatile organic chemicals in the air testing we have done inside the more than 70 homes we have tested. Dioxin is a secondary by-product," she said. "We did not find elevated levels of those primary by-products which suggested to our scientists that there was not a further risk of dioxin exposure."

The EPA said there are 15 stationary sites throughout the community monitoring the air around the clock. The EPA said the new community welcome center will allow people to sign up for testing and ask questions.