Long-term questions remain over the safety of the air, water and soil in East Palestine after last week's controlled burn of thousands of gallons of hazardous chemicals.

Independent experts say the impact on life and property may not be felt for some time.

"You're looking at five, 10, 15, 20 years down the line[until you see potential long-term effects]. There's some pretty nasty chemicals," Hazmat Specialist Silverio Caggiano says.

Caggiano tells 21 News, for some chemicals, such as the much-talked-about vinyl chloride, dilution is the solution, meaning it quickly dissipates. Other chemicals identified by the EPA, such as ethylene gas, aren't so simple.

"This stuff seeks low lying areas. It could be in sewers, it could be in nooks, crannies and crevices," Caggiano says.

Long term health effects from the chemical burning last week are still yet to be identified, but Caggiano says physical exams and documenting your health is a crucial way to monitor any future ill effects. Basically, if you're currently healthy and start to develop any problems, you'll be able to trace them back to see if they could be related to the crash.

"You can control what you put in your mouth, you can't control what you breath, you can't control what gets on your skin," he said. 

State and federal EPA and Norfolk southern authorities conducted more than 340 in-home air tests, however potential contamination of crops and water systems is concerning for environmental expert David Kaplan.

"From the water table it can move along underground into the river into the stream. The toxic water can be evaporated and come back in the form of [acid] rain," Kaplan said. 

Experts also advise deep cleaning every item in your home including clothing.