Hazardous Waste Trains Blocked By Congress

If you live near a freight train line, chances are hazardous waste is traveling through your town without your even knowing it. Rail companies don't advertise these shipments, for some good reasons and some bad.

Obviously, no one wants terrorists to know when and where the most explosive trains will be at any given point. On the other hand, communities need to know what's rolling through so they can prepare for the worst. Congress has passed a bill that would require companies to choose routes for hazardous waste shipments that avoid cities if possible. That way, any disaster that might result would presumably affect fewer people.

There's no perfect solution to this problem. Using less hazardous chemicals, finding processes that avoid them altogether or use safer alternatives are two obvious goals. Making sure that those we do use are transported safely and as transparently as is prudent is another.

For more on this topic, see this Washington Post story.

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