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Shelter-In-Place Order For County Impacted By BioLab Chemical Plume Expires

After more than a week since the violent chemical reaction at the BioLab facility in Conyers, Georgia, Rockdale County officials removed the shelter-in-place order.

The order, extended ‘indefinitely’ last week, expired Monday at 7 a.m.

“Since a fire at the BioLab facility last week sent a chemical plume in the air, the Rockdale County Emergency Management Agency has been telling all residents to stay in their homes from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.,” WSB-TV reports.

“Environmental officials are investigating a fire at BioLab, a chemical facility in Conyers, that sent a colossal wall of smoke that billowed into the air Sunday afternoon and led to the evacuation order of about 17,000 people and several road closures, including I-20, which remain closed Monday,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said last week.

WSB-TV reports:

County offices, including the court and other government facilities, that were closed all week are expected to reopen to the public on Monday morning.

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Officials said that chlorines, chloramine and chlorine compounds were released into the air from the fire that destroyed the factory early Sunday morning.

Dr. Lynn Paxton, interim health director for the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale health district, said those chemicals can cause irritation of the skin and the mucus membranes, including the eyes and nasal passages and the respiratory system.

It’s still unclear how long the haze from the chemical plume will be visible across metro Atlanta.

“A week after a fire at the BioLab Chemical Plant sent a large plume of toxic smoke billowing over Rockdale County, residents are reporting the discovery of black, charred debris in their yards, raising new health concerns,” FOX 5 Atlanta reports.

The chemical plume impacted the Atlanta suburbs and created a haze over the city skyline.

 

“UPDATE 10/6/24 @ 5 pm, on BioLab impacts for Fulton County. Overall, no changes in the situation, except the weather. We will send out immediate updates if the situation or information changes, otherwise, next update 10/8,” the Atlanta-Fulton County EMA stated.

BioLab update for Fulton: EPA Region 4 is working as part of Unified Command with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, Rockdale County and the BioLab company to respond to the incident at the facility in Conyers. EPA is monitoring air quality for chlorine and related compounds. Though the fire has been put out, the EPA will continue to monitor until the material stops smoldering. The smoldering chemicals are being neutralized. Periodic but short increases in the levels will occur as they move the rubble. Chlorine and VOC levels in the air are at safe levels, though periodic spikes have been observed in the immediate area around the scene. **There are no active advisories in Fulton County** Should a shelter-in-place be advised by GEMA, Georgia EPD, or other agencies involved with the BioLab response, it will be sent out via all communication tools, including a Wireless Emergency Alert, the Fulton ALert and COmmunity Notification (FALCON) System, and social media.

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BioLab Weather Update: The National Weather Service forecast shows winds continue generally from the east (blowing west toward Fulton County) on Sunday. A shift in winds is expected early Monday morning; winds will shift from the northwest (toward southeast, away from Fulton County). Winds are expected to shift back from the north/northeast (blowing south/southwest) Monday night and continue through Tuesday morning (still away from Fulton County, though the southern portions may be impacted). A strong inversion layer with light winds is expected each night, which may allow things to settle close to the ground in any direction until mid-morning. Fire departments and universities across Fulton County are continuing air quality monitoring. AFCEMA is coordinating with these agencies. Many of these observations are being done manually by qualified personnel. AFCEMA has not been notified of any hazardous spikes at any monitoring stations in and surrounding Fulton County.

BioLab Hazard Information: The EPA is conducting fixed and roving air monitoring of: chlorine, chloramine and chlorine compounds, carbon monoxide, hydrogen chloride, and phosgene. The data can be viewed at https://www.epa.gov/ga/conyers-ga-biolab-fire. Chlorine has a very low odor threshold, meaning it can be smelled before it reaches a harmful level, similar to an indoor swimming pool. Smoke that contains chlorine compounds can cause various symptoms including irritation of the eyes and airways, coughing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, a scratchy throat, irritated sinuses, headaches, stinging eyes, or a runny nose. People with heart disease might experience chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, or fatigue. People with lung disease may not be able to breathe as deeply or as vigorously as usual, and they may experience symptoms such as coughing, phlegm, chest discomfort, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

BioLab Protective Actions: If smoke and/or a haze moves into the area, limiting exposure of you and your pets to the smoke and taking precautions to protect your health is important. Limit your activities outdoors and stay inside & away from the smoke. Bring in pets from outdoors. Keep indoor air as clean as possible. Keep windows and doors closed. Run your air conditioner only if you can close the fresh air intake and use re-circulated air. The elderly, children, pets, and people with compromised immune systems should stay indoors or limit outdoor activities to prevent exposure to smoke. If you or your pet have asthma or another lung disease, follow the advice of your doctor or other health care providers about a respiratory management plan and medicines. If you experience symptoms, contact your healthcare provider or the Georgia Poison Center at 404-856-6252. For pet and livestock related questions, reach out to chemicalevent@agr.georgia.gov.

* Images from Atlanta-Fulton County EMA *

Social media users raised concerns about the long-term exposure to the toxins released from the chemical reaction.

Per FOX 5 Atlanta:

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The ominous dark cloud that loomed over the county for days has largely dissipated. But residents still say there’s a slight haze as chlorine continues to settle. Some neighbors are experiencing persistent symptoms.

Cathy Breedlove, a resident who says she and her husband found mysterious chunks on her property, expressed concerns about the health of her family and the five dogs she fosters.

“They are not allowed in my big backyard which is 3.5 acres,” Breedlove said she was told. “They talk about the air quality but we don’t hear mention of what these big black chunks of ash are.”

She reached out to both the Rockdale County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and was instructed not to touch the “hazardous” material and that the EPA would conduct an examination.

As of Oct. 6, no one had responded to the scene.

“We were told that EPA would come to get samples and test them, but we haven’t heard from the EPA,” she stated.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.


 

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