Rail cars, tanks and barges are routinely used to ship chemicals. These chemicals are key to the manufacture of all manner of everyday materials, from plastics to paint. Eventually, these cars, tankers and barges have to be cleaned, a procedure that is largely unregulated and raises health and safety concerns. As the Houston Chronicle reported Sunday, a former OSHA official calls it "extremely hazardous work."
On this edition of Houston Matters, we learn more about the challenges and risks inherent in cleaning rail cars, tanker trucks, and inland barges, as we talk with the Houston Chronicle's Ingrid Lobet, who's investigated various health and safety concerns.
Also this hour: Houston's real estate market is aggressive, with low inventory and high prices. Is buying a house in Houston still an affordable prospect for most of us? We talk with a Houston Realtor and a real estate agent about the housing market, challenges first-time home buyers face, and what may be in store for both buyers and sellers in the market today.
Plus: CultureMap Houston's MK Bower joins us to review the Texans' picks in the NFL draft, and consider how first overall selection Jadaveon Clowney will fit in with the Texans' defense.
