After a chemical fire left a thick haze and chlorine smell hanging over Atlanta for multiple days, Rockdale County filed a federal lawsuit against BioLab, a division of KIK Consumer Products that specializes in pool and spa water care. The Oct. 29 lawsuit follows a history of dangerous BioLab incidents— over the last 20 years, there have been at least four fires at BioLab’s Conyers plant, with one occurring in 2004, 2016, 2020 and 2024. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has also cited BioLab for multiple infractions in the past. These included a penalty for insufficient hazard communication and six instances of serious safety violations involving worker exposure.
Along with BioLab’s responsibility to establish proper safety measures to avoid chemical fires, this incident highlights the Emory University administration’s obligation to inform and protect the nearby Oxford College campus from harmful chemicals. Located only six miles away from BioLab, Oxford experienced the massive cloud of hazardous chemicals, which forced 17,000 Conyers residents to evacuate and 90,000 more to shelter in place. Given the lackadaisical nature of public statements from University Communications, this responsibility was clearly not their priority following the fire. In a rush to reassure students and prevent mass panic, the Emory administration may have exposed students and faculty on both the Atlanta and Oxford campuses to a series of harmful chemicals in the air.
The Atlanta and Oxford campuses returned to normalcy as soon as possible following the fire: Oxford sent out a campus-wide communication on Sept. 30 assuring students that the fire was of “no immediate threat” to its campus and student body, and a few days later, a follow-up email to both campuses claimed that the Emory Environmental Health and Safety Office’s evaluations of the Conyers and Atlanta air qualities found “no detectable levels of chlorine.” While administration moved Oxford classes online on Oct. 1, citing fog and smoke, the campus returned to normal operations on Oct. 2. Emory’s hasty moves to retain normalcy is questionable at best and potentially dangerous at worst.
As a manufacturer of pool and spa treatment products, BioLab uses a number of hazardous chemicals including trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA). When TCCA does not dissolve in water, it can decompose in a chemical reaction to produce chlorine gas, which is extremely toxic and can lead to severe respiratory issues, including chemical burns and lung damage. This is especially damaging for elderly communities and those with pre-existing health conditions. Even minor exposure can have harmful side effects, such as bronchitis or other chronic lung conditions.
The Editorial Board spoke to Emory Professor of Environmental Sciences Eri Saikawa, who shared information that affirmed our concerns regarding hurried communications and lacking information. Saikawa’s colleague’s lab reported significantly different findings from Emory’s — notably, the results included the highest-ever recording of atmospheric chlorine. These unprecedented readings were detected at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), which is about 30 miles away from the Conyers BioLab. Emory, in comparison, is about 24.4 miles away, well within the affected range based on the data from Georgia Tech.
Even the possibility of elevated chlorine levels in the air should ring alarm bells, but it seems that Emory was not concerned enough to adjust campus operations — which should not only outrage Oxford students, but all Emory community members. If the administration does not prioritize transparency in this circumstance, then there is no telling what other standards it may bend in the pursuit of calmness and quietude rather than panic.
Saikawa’s previous investigations on garbage-burning emissions show that when different pollutants are released during chemical fires, they may react with each other in unpredictable ways and have negative consequences for health.
“We don't know what else was emitted … we don't know what we were actually exposed to,” Saikawa said.
According to Saikawa, there is a possibility that the Georgia Tech readings measured chemicals other than chlorine, taking into account abnormal substances, such as uncommon chemicals that the lab worked with or reactants that decomposed in the fire. Therefore, even if the Emory Environmental Health and Safety Office’s chlorine-specific level readings were accurate, it is possible that their measurements did consider the many other possible chemical combinations reacting with each other in the air. Considering the limited information about the BioLab fire, Emory lacked the evidence to substantiate its claim that there was “no immediate threat” to its residents. Peace and quiet may be the preference of our administration, but it is certainly not in the interest of Emory community members.
“We didn't have enough data to show that it was not a concern,” Saikawa said of the fire. Having little data does not equate to safety. Ignorance is not always bliss, and this is a lesson that the Emory administration ought to learn soon.
Beyond the immediate threat to air quality, the residual chemicals from the fire may persist in Emory’s water stores and surrounding soil, according to Saikawa. This environmental contamination could potentially affect nearby farmland and local food sources — produce which Emory proudly serves in its dining halls. Yet, the administration failed to mention any of these potential long-lasting consequences in any of their communications, leaving students uninformed about potential health consequences. All of these factors show that Emory’s assessment that the fire caused “no immediate threat” to the Oxford campus was premature and an oversimplification of the issue.
In crises like this chemical fire, universities must prioritize transparency over convenience. Emory owes it to its students to report any possible health risks, including disclosing when there is insufficient information to confidently declare safety and implementing preventative measures to protect health before crises arise. Students, faculty and community members alike should have access to information about ongoing crises and have the autonomy to make informed decisions. While evacuations and restrictions may disrupt campus life, that is a small price to pay for student safety.
As part of a comprehensive response to this incident, Emory must actively conduct repeated evaluations of chlorine levels to confirm its original findings and ensure conditions continue to improve. Additionally, the University should test for other toxic chemicals that could have been released in the fire and honestly communicate findings to the community. Expanding infrastructure for environmental monitoring could also better prepare Emory for crises like this one in the future.
It is also important to note that in an era marked by private corporations’ routine prioritization of profit over environmental and public health concerns, we also must individually stay alert. As students, we must let this fire and the subsequent uncertainty serve as a reminder to seek independently published scientific information when assessing health crises, inform our friends and community of potential dangers and approach instructions from institutions of authority with healthy skepticism.
The above editorial represents the majority opinion of The Emory Wheel’s Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is composed of Editor Marc Goedemans, Carly Aikens, Hunter Buchheit, Allie Guo, Ethan Jacobs, Carson Kindred, Justin Leach, Eliana Liporace, Niki Rajani, Josh Rosenblut, Ilka Tona and Crystal Zhang.
