Hamilton County Public Health is actively responding to a Styrene chemical leak that initially occurred on Tuesday, Sept. 24, from a rail car in Whitewater Township. As of Wednesday, Sept. 25, Styrene no longer is being released into the air.
The safety and health of Hamilton County residents, employees and business owners is a top priority, and Hamilton County Public Health is in contact with local, state and federal partners. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working with the U.S. EPA to monitor air quality, and monitoring thus far has shown no issues within the incident zone.
In addition, the Village of Cleves Waterworks — the village’s primary water service — is not experiencing any issues related to the chemical leak and is working with the U.S. EPA on water monitoring. Hamilton County Public Health has made an assessment of private drinking water wells within a half-mile radius of the site. Residents who would like their private drinking water well assessed should call Hamilton County Public Health at 513-946-7966. All public water within the area is safe for humans and pets to drink.
There are no threats to the health of residents outside of the evacuation zone. Anyone feeling unwell should speak with their healthcare provider.
Hamilton County Public Health recommends that residents discard any unpackaged food within their homes within the evacuation zone.
For more information, visit hamiltoncountyhealth.org, and find the latest updates from the Hamilton County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency at tinyurl.com/HCEMAStyrene.
