Gov. Holcomb orders more testing on hazardous waste from train derailment

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WPTA) - Indiana’s governor says his office has contracted a third party provider to test the hazardous waste that is being shipped to an Indiana facility following the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine.

Gov. Eric Holcomb’s announcement came on Thursday, days after he publicly denounced the decision to bring the toxic waste to a landfill in Roachdale, Indiana. Holcomb said Tuesday he learned third-hand that the materials were being brought to Indiana, saying there has been a lack of communication in the decision.

BACKGROUND: Gov. Holcomb objects to Indiana receiving waste shipments from Ohio train derailment - Roachdale waste facility has previous violations - Waste shipments resume from Ohio toxic train derailment - Fort Wayne Utilities ensures residents Ohio train derailment won’t impact local water supply

Now, Holcomb says his office is working with Indianapolis-based Pace Labs to immediately conduct testing on those materials. He says the testing is the next necessary step to ensure Hoosiers’ safety.

He says they will begin sampling on Friday, March 3. You can read his full statement below.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered Norfolk Southern to begin testing for dioxins in Ohio, toxic chemical compounds that can stay in the environment for long periods of time. However, the EPA has not announced any plans for testing at the Roachdale facility.

According to EPA records, the Roachdale facility had 12 quarters of violations going back to 2020. While the agency does not detail the violations, it is clear they involved noncompliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which outlines how facilities must handle various kinds of waste. The EPA did not consider the violations “significant.”

In an email to 21Investigates, the company’s legal team acknowledged an issue involving labels on a container in 2019, but declined to call it a “violation.”

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