Following up on Plastic in NRC data:

https://publiclab.org/notes/eustatic/09-23-2020/querying-the-us-national-response-center-s-data-for-reports-of-plastic-to-the-us-coast-guard-with-skytruth-org

I have deepened my understanding of where to find information on plastic spilled during train derailments and incidents, after local residents asked me to investigate a recent, post-Ida derailment.

Within the NRC tables, there is a "DERAILED_UNITS" tab that has a "CAR_CONTENT" field

The DERAILED_UNITS --> CAR_CONTENT has the "plastic" label

This photo was taken by Civilian Air Patrol, who is flying in support of FEMA.

CAP

https://disasters.geoplatform.gov/imagerybrowser/?webmap=2c7dabb4a0594861a8bac3944b931d2d

National Response Center Record 131 5801 train derailment.
https://alerts.skytruth.org/report/3e731bdb-b03d-73c4-0fa4-09865390d62e/

Report Details
NRC Report ID: 1315801
Incident Time: 2021-09-04 12:20:00
Nearest City: Raceland, LA
Location: MILE POST 42.2
Incident Type: RAILROAD NON-RELEASE
SkyTruth Analysis
Lat/Long: 29.747222, -90.609444 (Explicit)
Report DescriptionCALLER IS REPORTING THAT FOUR CARS DERAILED FROM A FREIGHT TRAIN ON A PASSENGER TRAIN LINE. THE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. DOUBLE MAIN TRACK IS CLOSED. NO DELAYS TO PASSENGER SERVICES.

See attached for a large nurdle spill into wetlands in lafourche parish after Ida.

The Release of Plastic is considered a "Railroad Non-Release", although this waterway is connected to the Lake Boeuf Wildlife Management Area.

Within the NRC tables, there is a "DERAILED_UNITS" tab that has a "CAR_CONTENT" field

The DERAILED_UNITS --> CAR_CONTENT has the "plastic" label for these four cars, in incident 131 5801, which have visibly spilled plastics.

| SEQNOS| TRAIN_NAME_NUMBER| CAR_NUMBER| CAR_CONTENT| POSITION_IN_TRAIN| DERAILED_TYPE| | 1315801| HLALNSI1-02| FINX10809| PLASTIC| | CAR| | 1315801| HLALNSI1-02| FINX50062| PLASTIC| | CAR| | 1315801| HLALNSI1-02| CEFX54545| PLASTIC| | CAR| | 1315801| HLALNSI1-02| CBFX470967| PLASTIC| | CAR|

I can work on review a history of NRC incidents, and thus locations with this "CAR_CONTENT" = 'PLASTIC'

It would also be interesting to see, by block group, or county, which block groups or counties have the largest number of PLASTIC car incidents per mile of railroad.