(NewsNation) — Residents of Conyers, Georgia, want answers as to why the Environmental Protection Agency did not conduct further testing after a chemical plant fire in the town eight months ago.
Others said they want the EPA held accountable because they believe the agency failed to warn them of potential toxins.
On September 29, 2024, a fire broke out at the BioLab chemical plant that left Conyers covered in a blanket of toxic smoke. Resident Cheryl Garcia said she knew it was serious.
“My husband came out to do something on the porch, and he came back and his eyes were burning and his throat was burning really badly,” Garcia said.
At the time of the fire, 17,000 residents evacuated from the area, while others were told to shelter in place. The EPA said the soot and ash were “not dangerous in any way” and that the dangerous compounds were detected “well below concern levels.” Independent testing done afterward, however, says otherwise.
Scott Smith, an independent disaster testing expert who also worked in East Palestine, Ohio, said products of incomplete combustion, dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the same chemicals found in East Palestine, were also found in Conyers. They are confirmed to be carcinogens.
Since the fire, Garcia has been diagnosed with vocal cord dysphonia. Garcia now takes multiple medications every day to manage her condition.
Garcia’s attorney, Mindy Bish, places the blame on...
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