Members of Georgia’s congressional delegation are calling on KIK Consumer Products, the parent company of BioLab in Conyers, to release updates on its investigation into the chemical fire at its Conyers facility last September.
In a letter sent Jan. 10, Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, along with U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, urged the company to share the results of any debris testing, provide reimbursement data, and extend the now-expired claims deadline for residents impacted by the fire.
“You and your staff have publicly expressed a desire to ‘address the needs of impacted area residents and business owners’ following that incident,” the letter says. “It has been three months since the incident; we request specific information regarding your efforts to do so.”
The Sept. 29 fire prompted 17,000 evacuations, closed portions of I-20, and led to overnight shelter-in-place orders for weeks. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), a nonregulatory federal agency, called the fire “completely unacceptable” in its initial report, citing the need for stricter safety protocols for handling hazardous materials.
A spokesperson for BioLab said in a statement via email that the company is reviewing the letter, adding that it has provided community support through a call center, in-person assistance, and a claims process.
“BioLab will continue its community engagement and looks forward to working constructively with authorities, regulators, and elected officials,” the statement went on to say.
Georgia lawmakers have stressed the need for greater transparency into what caused the fire and its impacts, citing concerns about Rockdale County residents’ long-term health and environmental impacts.
