January 29, 2026
Experts Raise Concerns After EPA Says It Used Acronel WS-27 in East Palestine
WASHINGTON—Government Accountability Project reviewed a new statement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asserting that the Health and Safety Plan (HASP) for the 2023 East Palestine train derailment contained a "typo," and that EPA actually used Acronel WS-27, rather than "Acronal," to address butyl acrylate odors.
EPA made the claim of the typo to a media outlet on Tuesday in response to a recently released Government Accountability Project report on the HASP and multiple federal agencies signing off on the use of "Acronal" to suppress butyl acrylate vapors in East Palestine following the train derailment. However, independent scientists and Government Accountability Project whistleblower clients who have been in East Palestine researching the clean-up response have several immediate and significant concerns regarding EPA's statement.
First, the HASP explicitly authorized the use of "Acronal" to suppress butyl acrylate vapors, and that plan was reviewed and signed by multiple federal and state agencies. EPA has not identified any contemporaneous correction to the HASP or explained how a core chemical control measure could be misidentified and approved across agencies without detection.
Second, EPA's claim that it used Acronel WS-27 raises new public health and environmental questions. According to the product's Material Safety Data Sheet, Acronel WS-27 is used to clean industrial tanks and reduce the odor of acrylates. The Material Safety Data Sheet of Acronel WS-27 warns of severe skin and eye burns, serious respiratory irritation, and cautions responders not to breathe mist or aerosols. The material has been identified as a possible carcinogen with systemic effects impacting the kidneys and liver functions. Acronel WS-27 is not a recognized vapor-suppression agent designed to reduce airborne concentrations of volatile, flammable chemicals like the ones released in East Palestine.
Third, masking odor is not the same as reducing chemical hazards. Butyl acrylate is a toxic, flammable volatile organic compound, not merely a nuisance odor. Suppressing its smell does not eliminate inhalation or fire risk and may delay recognition of hazardous conditions by workers or nearby residents who rely on odor as an early warning signal. The EPA's decision to allow the use of this product in an unconventional application knowingly exposes the public to a serious and avoidable risk.
Fourth, EPA's statement raises concerns about air-monitoring integrity. Field response in East Palestine relied heavily on screening tools that already have known limitations for detecting butyl acrylate at low concentrations. Applying a caustic, amine-based odor suppressant may complicate air monitoring by masking odor, altering volatilization at contaminated surfaces, or introducing moisture, mist, or reactive compounds that can interfere with sensor performance or data interpretation. EPA has not shown that the use of Acronel WS-27 was evaluated for its potential impact on monitoring accuracy.
"Whether EPA characterizes this as a typo or a substitution, this is not a minor clerical issue," said Lesley Pacey, Senior Environmental Officer at Government Accountability Project. "Chemical control measures in a Health and Safety Plan are fundamental to protecting responders and the public. Regardless of whether EPA approved Acronal or Acronel, both are caustic masking agents that hide chemical odors. The use of either product raises serious questions about health protection, environmental safety, and whether air monitoring data fully reflected actual exposure conditions."
Government Accountability Project continues to review the full record, including the HASP, product safety documentation, and air-monitoring data to continue the investigation into the East Palestine train derailment response.
Contact: [email protected]
Government Accountability Project
Government Accountability Project is the nation's leading whistleblower protection organization. Through litigating whistleblower cases, publicizing concerns and developing legal reforms, Government Accountability Project's mission is to protect the public interest by promoting government and corporate accountability. Founded in 1977, Government Accountability Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C.
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