(NewsNation) — It’s been nearly six months since a Norfolk Southern train derailed, spilling toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, and residents say their community isn’t back to normal.
Ashley McCollum has lived in East Palestine for eight years but for the past five months, she’s been in a hotel.
“I would love to get back home but it’s not safe,” said McCollum. “I can’t last even five minutes in my home without feeling some kind of reaction.”
The last time she visited earlier this month, McCollum said her eyes started burning and half her body went numb. Her house is a block away from where the derailment occurred.
According to its website, Norfolk Southern has spent over $63 million to support communities impacted by the derailment, including $3 million to the East Palestine Fire Department and $1 million for a fund to support the immediate needs of residents.
Despite the financial commitments, McCollum said company representatives have been hard to get ahold of and haven’t been clear about which expenses the railroad will cover.
“They say necessities but they pick and choose what they want to do and how they do it,” she said. “Nothing’s consistent, they say it’s case-by-case. It’s really been a nightmare.”
Federal officials have said tests show the air and water in town remain safe, but other independent test results have found potentially dangerous levels of dioxins in soil around the area.
McCollum feels like residents have been left in the dark by both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Norfolk Southern. Nobody has told her when it will be safe to return home or what sort of testing and cleaning, if any, will be done beforehand.
“This is like a job trying to get some answers and it shouldn’t be, they should be more organized,” she said.
The latest EPA update on July 25 outlined the progress that’s been made at the derailment site. So far, over 81,000 tons of solid waste have been shipped from the area, as well as 26 million gallons of liquid waste, according to the report.
But when it comes to residents’ homes, McCollum said “almost nothing has been done.” She compared the cleaning treatment some have received to having an “air freshener” sprayed on the walls.
“It’s really clear no one is getting the help that they need,” she said.
Rick Tsai, a chiropractor who has lived in the East Palestine area for nearly 30 years, also told NewsNation he’s “not happy with the cleanup.”
“The creeks are horrifically contaminated and during hot days it smells so bad and it off-gasses into the air,” Tsai told Elizabeth Vargas. “On some days it looks like there’s more chemicals than water.”
The February derailment has cost Norfolk Southern an estimated $387 million so far, according to the company. Although, that number could go up as soon as Thursday during the railroad’s Q2 earnings call.
When reached by email Tuesday, Norfolk Southern directed NewsNation to its website which outlines the railroad’s progress with the cleanup. The company did not provide a timeline for when that work is expected to be finished.
The site also says it continues to conduct daily air monitoring in the community, as well as, weekly sampling of the village’s public drinking water system, along with other cleanup efforts.
The railroad is facing a slew of lawsuits related to the incident, including a civil suit from the Justice Department.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is still investigating the cause of the derailment and will issue a final report, likely next year.