Trainwreck's toxic spill leads Giant Eagle to pull some store-brand spring water

Giant Eagle is playing it safe in response to the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that leaked toxic chemicals into the surrounding community.

The Pittsburgh-based regional grocer said it has removed gallon-size or larger Giant Eagle-brand spring water sourced from a facility in Salineville, Ohio—situated about 25 miles southwest of East Palestine—from Giant Eagle and Market District supermarkets and GetGo convenience stores. The retailer noted that only those sizes of its store-brand spring water come from the Salineville site.

“Giant Eagle has been in daily contact with representatives from the facility and has learned that the water used in these products comes from a protected spring located at a higher elevation than East Palestine and is not near groundwater sources directly impacted by the incident,” Giant Eagle said in a statement released Tuesday. “The Salineville facility also informed us that a third-party lab has been regularly testing Salineville’s raw water sources and finished products and has not found any evidence that the water has been negatively impacted by the Feb. 3 incident.”

On the evening of Feb. 3, a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, located near the Pennsylvania border, and burned for more than two days. Thereafter, state officials had emergency crews perform a controlled burn of several rail cars, which released hydrogen chloride and phosgene into the air, according to published reports. Residents in the immediate area were evacuated, and agencies in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia initiated an emergency response. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency later was called in to provide assistance as well.

Giant Eagle said it made a “thorough review” of selected varieties of Giant Eagle-brand spring water sourced from the Salineville facility and, for added safety, opted to pull certain items from stores.

“As we continue to receive these assurances from our Salineville water vendor, we also recognize that regional and national health officials continue to send resources to East Palestine to learn as much as possible about the potential impact to the health of the community,” the grocery chain said. “Out of an abundance of caution, Giant Eagle has made the decision to remove all gallon-size or greater Giant Eagle-brand spring water product sourced from the Salineville facility from our store shelves until further notice while we continue to evaluate ongoing testing and potential impacts to the spring source.”

Media reports said that, since the derailment, some residents are experiencing health issues such as headaches and rashes. Many residents, too, have expressed frustration in waiting for more answers from authorities on the derailment and resulting safety concerns.

“We at Giant Eagle have been closely monitoring the ongoing community and environmental impact of the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. We have offered direct support to team members who may live in the area and have partnered with regional food banks to make product donations to others in need,” Giant Eagle stated.

Overall, Giant Eagle’s retail network encompasses about 475 stores, including over 200 convenience stores, across western Pennsylvania, Ohio, northern West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana.