At a national trade show for pool and spa chemicals, we meet industry insiders who help us understand how the business works—and how safety often takes a back seat to sales. This episode traces the path from corporate booths to chemical fires, revealing what’s at stake if profit outweighs precaution.

A Sept. 29, 2024, fire at BioLab in Conyers creates a chemical plume

A fire at BioLab in Conyers, Ga., on Sept. 29, 2024, creates a chemical plume that lingered for weeks after.

Credit: Al Sadler Sr.

 

Episode 3: The Business

 

BioLab helps keep millions of pools clean. It’s one of the biggest chemical companies in the business. However, while the company teaches pool safety to industry professionals, there are serious questions about safety inside its own walls.

In this episode, Pamela heads to a pool and spa trade show in Nashville to hear how BioLab presents itself to the industry—and to take a closer look at how much influence the company really has.

We hear from workers who say the inside of the plant is a very different story. From chemical burns and headaches to warehouse leaks and outdated buildings, their stories paint a more troubling picture.

We also learn more about BioLab’s rise to power—and how fires at their plants have disrupted the pool chemical supply chain across the country.

What happens when pool safety training ends at the factory gates? And when disaster strikes, who pays the price?

Tags: podcast  BioLab  Conyers