Manufacturing Danger: The BioLab Story - After the Smoke Cleared

Caption

Thick smoke hangs over a gas station in Conyers, Ga., on Sept. 29, 2024, as a chemical fire at the nearby BioLab facility prompted evacuations and raised health concerns among residents for weeks after.

Credit: Al Sadler Sr.

When a fire tore through the BioLab chemical plant in Conyers, Georgia, it left more than just destruction in its wake — it left unanswered questions. In this episode, host Pamela Kirkland returns to the scene across the street from BioLab, at ServiceMaster by Lovejoy, where workers like Stephanie Donnely and Chris Lovejoy are still grappling with the contamination that forced them to abandon their warehouse.

We meet Scott Smith, an independent environmental tester and self-proclaimed citizen whistleblower, who stepped in when official testing fell short. His findings — including volatile organic compounds, dioxins, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons — raise concerns about the lingering health risks for residents and businesses near the fire.

We also hear from Jami Wallace, a resident of East Palestine, Ohio — another community affected by a chemical disaster — who traveled to Georgia to show support and solidarity. As communities like Conyers and East Palestine connect, they’re finding strength in shared experience and in demanding answers where government agencies and corporations have fallen short.

With scientific investigations ongoing and lives still in limbo, this episode uncovers what happens when the smoke clears — but the danger remains.