The Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University has raised concerns about the potential health and environmental effects from the BioLab fire in Conyers which has been burning since Sunday.
Health impacts of chemical fires extend beyond air quality concerns, according to Dana Barr, Ph.D., and Stephanie Eick, Ph.D., both faculty in the Department of Environmental Health at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, explain the importance of future analysis in the section below. Carmen Marsit, Ph.D., professor of environmental health, answers questions about air quality and safety.
BioLab makes swimming pool and spa treatment products. Chemicals involved in those products have been detected in the plume of smoke still blowing from the plant, which shifts hour-to-hour.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Georgia Department of Public Health have not answered questions about the health impacts from the fire but have referred reporters to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, which also declined to answer health questions.
The Rollins researchers say it will be crucial to look beyond the chemical-infused smoke and subsequent respiratory symptoms stemming from exposure to gauge and mitigate the potential long-term health impacts.
The following questions and answers were shared by the Rollins School of Public Health and have been edited for clarity.
Is the air/air quality safe in metro Atlanta?
Generally, yes, the air is safe in metro Atlanta. Chlorine and compounds containing chlorine can be smelled at very low levels, so although people in the Atlanta metro area might smell chlorine, the levels of chlorine gas that are being detected are below levels that are considered harmful enough to take protective actions, according to Marsit. Some people may experience symptoms because of the chlorine and chlorine-containing compounds in the air, such as watery eyes, scratchy or burning nose or throat and coughing. In people who have pre-existing conditions such as asthma or COPD, or the elderly or very young, these symptoms may be more severe. These symptoms would be more severe the closer you are to the plume. If anyone is experiencing symptoms that are more severe, they should speak to their physician or contact the Georgia Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.
What is air testing showing, and what do the numbers and levels mean?
The EPA “action level” for chlorine in the air is 0.5 ppm (parts per million). That means that if chlorine levels were to exceed that level for an extended period of time, the EPA would work to take action to protect people and the environment and would recommend a higher level of protective action. Right now, these data are showing that the levels of chlorine and the other gases they are measuring are not reaching or exceeding their action levels. They might have blips that do, but these spikes are very transient and so are not leading to additional actions other than the recommendations to reduce outdoor activities and close windows, according to Marsit.
What do we know and what don’t we know?
What we do know is that chlorine, chloramine and bromine are being released at some levels from the chemical reaction that is occurring at BioLab, and that those gases can be toxic with greater levels of exposure. Right now, based on the EPA monitoring that is being done, as well as monitoring by Georgia emergency management officials, the levels that are reaching residents may not be at the most toxic levels, but are enough to cause concerning symptoms, and could exacerbate underlying conditions in people who are most at risk.
We don’t know about any other chemicals that might be present or what are the long-term environmental consequences and how they will be addressed. We also don’t know how long it might take for this to be brought fully under control, for the reactions to stop and then for additional cleanup to occur.
When there is an incident at a chemical plant like this, what happens next in terms of identifying potential health impacts?
“We may not fully understand the impact of this situation for some time, but there are important steps that should be taken now. It’s crucial to collect and analyze environmental samples, such as air, soil and water, to identify all the chemicals that were released, including chlorine. This will help in future studies. It’s likely that many harmful chemicals, like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), were released along with toxic by-products from the fire or explosion. Additionally, it would be a good idea to create a registry of people who were near the plume. Tracking their location in relation to the plume and following up with health questions over the next few years could help us monitor any long-term health effects,” Barr says.
“We really need to be monitoring the soil and water, this will give us a better sense of how long these chemicals are staying in the environment and therefore posing a potential risk for health. This will also allow us to figure out if levels of these chemical are being detected at levels above the EPA threshold, in which case we might be able to draw more conclusions about potential health effects,” Eick says.
How long could persistent chemicals like these impact soil, air, water, etc.?
“At the moment, we don’t have a clear understanding of all the chemicals that were present in the plume. Some of these chemicals may last for a long time in the environment, while others may disappear more quickly. The concern with persistent chemicals is that they can remain in the air, soi, or water for many years and may eventually make their way into the food chain, where they can build up over time. However, most chemicals will likely break down gradually through exposure to sunlight and rain, which will help reduce their impact over time,” Barr says.
“How long it stays in the air depends on things like the wind speed, but it can remain in the air for up to several hours depending on the amount of chlorine released. The chlorine would be able to stay in the water for at least a few days, though it might be longer here since this is something that’s causing really high levels of exposure. Chlorine is reactive and it breaks down to become chloride, which can stay in the soil for at least 40 days,” Eick says.
How broad is the impact geographically?
“Those living closest to the plume, especially in the direction of the prevailing wind, are likely to have experienced the highest exposure. Their soil, air and water may also have the highest levels of contamination. It is important to quickly collect and analyze samples from these areas to determine if chemical concentrations decrease as you move farther from the plant. This will help us understand the potential risks and guide any necessary actions to protect health and the environment,” Barr says.
“It is difficult to know without real data on this, but it’s likely impacting metro Atlanta beyond Rockdale County,” Eick says.
What could “cleanup” involve?
“Cleaning up contaminated environments can be a lengthy and expensive process. Once chemical levels are measured, any areas where contamination exceeds safety thresholds set by risk assessments should be addressed. This could prompt an investigation and cleanup efforts by agencies like the EPA or ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry), potentially involving Superfund resources. Remediation efforts might include removing contaminated topsoil or applying a thin layer of capping to affected surface waters, depending on the severity and type of contamination,” Barr says.
“Soil, water and air should all be monitored to identify if this will be an ongoing problem,” Eick says.
What types of analysis will be needed?
“The first actions taken should include an environmental monitoring strategy where samples are collected longitudinally to identify chemicals present, determine if they are present above risk-based thresholds, and to surveil the levels over time. Samples should be taken at various radii from the site where the fire occurred and will likely include more frequent sampling over the course of the next few months. The timeline for sampling will have to be developed after knowledge of which chemicals are present in these matrices. The sampling most likely will span buffer areas of about 5-10 miles from the site with more sampling in the direction of the prevailing wind. Furthermore, samples should be taken from areas that were not in close contact with the plume for comparison,” Barr says.
“Since we do not yet have a great sense of everywhere that has been impacted, we can’t be certain yet about how big the scope of this will need to be. But I would say we should probably monitor the water and soil for the next couple of months,” Eick says.
What is the long-term concern?
“Understandably, many people are primarily concerned about the long-term effects this incident may have on their health. Once the chemicals present in the plume are identified, each will be assessed based on established risk-based thresholds for specific health outcomes, including both cancer and non-cancer risks.
Long-term health evaluations should not only focus on cancer risks but also consider the potential for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as these are often associated with exposure to airborne toxicants. Continuous monitoring and health assessments will be critical to ensure that any potential risks are identified and addressed as early as possible, providing reassurance and guidance for those affected,” Barr said.
“This chemical is considered to be extremely toxic to aquatic life according to the EPA, so the long-term consequences of that would have to be monitored here. Most of what we know shows that acute exposure to chlorine might not be that toxic to humans and could just cause some mild irritation. However, this is something that could really be more of a chronic exposure event depending on how long the chemical is able to stay in the environment (water, soil, etc). In that case, we really need to be monitoring the levels over time to see how widespread the problem is,” Eick says.
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