[[Neil Donahue]], a chemistry professor at [[Carnegie Mellon University]], expressed concern about the potential production of [[Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds|dioxins]] during the burning of vinyl chloride, while [[Lynn Goldman]], dean of the [[Milken Institute School of Public Health]], worried more about residual vinyl chloride. Gaseous pollutants dissipate quickly in the air, but dioxins are persistent.<ref>{{cite web |title=Toxic gases connected to Ohio train derailment cause concern |url=https://apnews.com/article/rail-accidents-evacuations-ohio-health-climate-and-environment-3f84663f0b97837cc74a8ce9a50ef6c7 |website=AP NEWS |language=en |date=8 February 2023 |access-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213065450/https://apnews.com/article/rail-accidents-evacuations-ohio-health-climate-and-environment-3f84663f0b97837cc74a8ce9a50ef6c7 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Alleged disorderly conduct==
On February 8, during a newscast in a gymnasium behind the press conference of Governor Mike DeWine, Evan Lambert, a reporter for [[NewsNation]], was approached by two state troopers of the [[Ohio Highway Patrol]] and Major General John C. Harris Jr. of the [[Ohio Adjutant General's Department]], who cautioned him about his loudness, leading to a confrontation. Several police intervened, as cell phones and body cameras recorded.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 9, 2023 |title=Body camera video reveals moments leading up to viral arrest of NewsNation reporter at East Palestine briefing |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/ohio/east-palestine-police-ohio-adjutant-general-felt-threatened-reporter-press-conference-arrest/95-48a9f0dc-621f-49e1-98e3-65dee53cb9ba |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=wkyc.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=East Palestine police: Ohio Adjutant General felt threatened by reporter before viral presser arrest |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lH2my7OYU4 |language=en |access-date=2023-02-10}}</ref>
Harris told police Lambert approached him aggressively and: "I instinctively put my hands on his chest to keep him from bumping into me, which I felt was inevitable if I had not protected myself." Lambert was asked to leave by a representative of the East Palestine schools. After refusing, he was taken from the gym and arrested.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Medina |first=Eduardo |date=February 9, 2023 |title=Reporter Arrested While Covering News Conference in Ohio |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/08/us/ohio-train-derailment-reporter-arrested.html |access-date=2023-02-09 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=NewsNation reporter arrested during Ohio news conference |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiEsC_xB3Bo |language=en |access-date=2023-02-09}}</ref> He was charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct and released later in the day.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blanchet |first=Ben |date=February 9, 2023 |title=NewsNation Reporter Arrested At Ohio Governor's Press Conference |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cops-arrest-newsnation-reporter-ohio_n_63e466cfe4b07f036b9a7461 |access-date=2023-02-09 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Lambert: 'No journalist expects to be arrested when you're doing your job' {{!}} Banfield |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFhBmPiHU3g |language=en |access-date=2023-02-09}}</ref> DeWine said Lambert "had the right to be reporting" and condemned obstruction of the press: "That certainly is wrong and it's not anything that I approve of. In fact, I vehemently disapprove of it."<ref>{{cite news |last=Geary |first=Claire |date=February 8, 2023 |title=NewsNation reporter arrested during Gov. Mike DeWine's press conference in East Palestine |publisher=[[WEWS-TV]] |url=https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/newsnation-reporter-arrested-during-gov-mike-dewines-press-conference-in-east-palestine |access-date=2023-02-10}}</ref>
The Columbiana County prosecutor left the case to the attorney general of Ohio.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ohio AG Dave Yost's office to handle case of reporter arrested at DeWine news conference |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/2023/02/10/ohio-attorney-general-to-investigate-east-palestine-reporter-arrest/69894152007/ |access-date=2023-02-14 |website=The Columbus Dispatch |language=en-US}}</ref> On February 15, the AG dismissed the charges, saying that there were insufficient grounds for the arrest of Lambert.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wallace |first=Danielle |date=2023-02-15 |title=Ohio train derailment: Charges dropped against national reporter covering small town's environmental disaster |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/ohio-train-derailment-charges-dropped-national-reporter-covering-small-towns-environmental-disaster |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Knolle |first=Sharon |date=2023-02-15 |title=Charges Against NewsNation Reporter Dropped After Video Reveals Top Military Officer Shoving Him in Chest |url=https://www.thewrap.com/newsnation-reporter-charges-dropped-evan-lambert-shove-arrest/ |access-date=2023-02-15 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Charges dismissed against reporter arrested while covering East Palestine train derailment |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/east-palestine-train-derailment-charges-dismissed-evan-lambert-reporter-arrested/ |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hauser |first=Christine |date=2023-02-15 |title=Charges Dismissed for Reporter Arrested at Ohio Derailment News Event |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/15/us/newsnation-reporter-charges-dropped.html |access-date=2023-02-15 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
