A chemical fire at BioLab’s Georgia facility has once again raised concerns about regulatory loopholes that allow plants handling dangerous chemicals to evade critical safety oversight.
Katya Schwenk reports for The Lever.
In short:
- A fire at BioLab in Georgia released toxic chlorine gas, leading to evacuations and health issues for thousands of residents.
- BioLab is not covered by EPA regulations that would require better safety protocols, leaving communities vulnerable.
- Industry lobbyists have blocked updates to the EPA's oversight of hazardous chemicals, contributing to hundreds of unregulated chemical accidents.
Key quote:
“We have to go outside. My husband has to drive to work. I have to let the dogs out. We don’t have a choice. We’re all just feeling betrayed.”
— Christina Brown, local resident
Why this matters:
Communities near chemical plants like BioLab face ongoing health and safety risks due to regulatory gaps. Without action, toxic disasters like this will continue to harm public health and the environment.
