Which chemical was released during the East Palestine derailment?

• A. Ammonium nitrate
• B. Benzene
• C. Vinyl chloride
• D. Ethanol

Answer: (C)

Recognize that this event involved a hazardous material that was actually aboard the derailed train. The tank car carrying vinyl chloride was part of the shipment, and vinyl chloride is a highly hazardous, flammable industrial chemical used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Because of the danger of a catastrophic rupture or explosion, authorities opted for a controlled burn to vent and burn off the vinyl chloride rather than let the tank rupture untreated. That deliberate release means vinyl chloride was the chemical released during the incident. The other substances—ammonium nitrate, benzene, and ethanol—weren’t the primary hazmat involved in this derailment, so vinyl chloride is the correct identification.