ROCKDALE COUNTY, Georgia. – Rockdale County has implemented an overnight shelter-in-place order, urging residents to stay home from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. for the remainder of the week. The directive follows a fire at the BioLab facility in Conyers over the weekend that released a cloud of smoke and chemicals into the atmosphere.

County officials advise residents to close windows and turn off HVAC systems if they are drawing in outside air. The shelter-in-place order is expected to remain in effect through Friday.

“If you don’t need to be outside, if you don’t need to be on the roads, stay home,” urged Rockdale County Commission Chairman Oz Nesbitt.

Residents who observe or smell the gas plume should shelter in place until it passes, especially those who have trouble breathing, according to a county statement.

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The EPA monitors air and water quality

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) closely monitors air quality in the area. Although levels of chlorine and hydrochloric acid have been detected, they remain within safe limits for most residents. However, people with pre-existing respiratory diseases are advised to stay indoors.

“The level at which you can actually smell chlorine in the air, which is currently the case, is below the level that is actually causing the problem,” explained Dr. Lynn Paxton, interim director of the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale Health District.

Additionally, the EPA has confirmed that drinking water in Rockdale County is safe. Water samples are tested regularly and all results are within safe limits.

Roads are closed in Rockdale County, impacting public services

Several roads remain closed near the BioLab facility, and as of Tuesday evening, Rockdale County officials provide the following list:

• Old Covington Highway at Rockdale Industrial
• Kysor Crossing at Rockdale Industrial
• Old Covington Highway in Blacklawn
• Dogwood Drive at the VFW
• Veterans ride in the VFW

Rockdale County government offices, including the courthouse and annexes, will remain closed for the rest of the week. Newton County Schools also announced a two-hour delay for students and staff on Wednesday. Animal Services has moved the shelter to Walton County and is looking for foster homes to help ease the situation.

Conyers health problems, social reaction

The BioLab fire has sparked widespread concern beyond Rockdale County. Fog caused by a chemical plume was reported earlier this week in neighboring counties including Gwinnett, DeKalb and Fulton, with some residents experiencing symptoms including coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.

Abby Mutic, an assistant professor at Emory University, noted that the chemical plume irritated the eyes, nose and respiratory system, causing symptoms in some people. Air quality experts at Georgia Tech also confirmed elevated levels of chlorine in particulate matter.

Despite these concerns, the EPA assured residents that chlorine levels remained below harmful thresholds. “We are not seeing levels above our response thresholds, even for sensitive groups,” said EPA on-scene coordinator Bryan Vasser.

The BioLab fire has been contained, but chemical reactions continue

Although the fire was extinguished on Sunday, smoke continues to billow from chemical reactions occurring in the damaged BioLab facility. Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel explained that efforts are ongoing to remove the chemicals from the plant. This is a slow process, but necessary to ensure environmental safety.

“The new plan is now to introduce wheeled containers to unload part of the product gradually. It is a slower process, but much safer for the environment,” McDaniel said.

This is not the first incident at BioLab. Previous wildfires in 2020 and 2016 also led to evacuations and health concerns. There is a petition circulating with over 1,800 signatures calling for the factory to be moved to a less populated location.