BioLab Fire - Environmental Justice Briefing

GCV held a community update on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 to provide accurate information on the potential impacts of the BioLab fire in Conyers. Hosting the meeting was Former Regional Administrator for Region 4 of the Environmental Protection Agency, Daniel Blackman. Joining Daniel were Georgia Tech Professor and Air Quality Expert, Dr. Sally Ng, Former State Rep. Erick Allen who was involved in holding Sterogenics accountable in Cobb County, and GCV Executive Director Brionté McCorkle.
Health and Safety Steps:
Document your symptoms! Keep a record to refer to when talking to healthcare professionals.
Reduce exposure to outside air: If you smell chlorine, wear a mask, but remember - while anything helps, wearing an N95 alone does not guarantee protection against chlorine. If the air is acrid or smells, you need a mask or respirator that specifically says it filters "vapors."
If your air conditioner pulls air from the outside AND you do not have a HEPA filter, do not run your air conditioner. Window units should not be run while you can smell Chlorine in the air.
If you use your car's air conditioner, turn on the feature that circulates air inside your vehicle.
Agencies:
EPA BioLab Updates www.epa.gov/ga...
Rockdale County BioLab Updates Page www.rockdaleco...
Rockdale County EMA www.rockdaleco... Atlanta-Fulton County EMA x.com/AFCEMA
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry www.atsdr.cdc....
Georgia Environmental Protection Division epd.georgia.gov/
Georgia Poison Control Hotline - 404-856-6252
TAKE ACTION:
Change.org petition to shut down BioLab Conyers www.change.org...

[@Teesewash]

Thank you for hosting this meeting and making this information available to the public.

[@NancySchulz-h2y]

Thank you for hosting this meeting. How do I sign up for future meetings? I was unable to register for the initial zoom call.

[@mildredmeadows6166]

I have a hard time breathing and very congested my eyes started burning and filming up
my skin itching I live below Conyers ga I am really concerned because I could see a haze I am a school bus driver and it really concerns me for my children on my bus

[@THEcucufate]

A pool supplies chemical plant typically produces chemicals like chlorine (in various forms like calcium hypochlorite), bromine, algaecides, pH increasers (sodium bicarbonate or soda ash), cyanuric acid (a chlorine stabilizer), pool shock (high-strength chlorine), HCL, stannous acid, muriatic acid, (yes, all these things go in pools depending on the results wanted) and various chemicals used to adjust water alkalinity (too many to list).
Now mix those some of those with each other, or some water, different combos, and you got a blend of highly not-supposed-to-breath-for-extended-periods toxic clouds - both going up into the sky and spreading FAR across states, and also the heavier gasious kind that you see falling back down spreading like fog.
Meanwhile, non-stop combustion until everything that reacts evaporates on its own. THANKS BIOLAB!