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Tens of Thousands Under Shelter-in-Place Order after Georgia Chemical Disaster

This Sunday, a fire broke out at the BioLabs manufacturing plant in Conyers, Georgia, leading to a poisonous plume of chlorine near Atlanta and forcing tens of thousands of people under orders to shelter in place.

MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Smelser, [email protected]

Tens of Thousands Under Shelter-in-Place Order after Georgia Chemical Disaster

This Sunday, a fire broke out at the BioLabs manufacturing plant in Conyers, Georgia, leading to a poisonous plume of chlorine near Atlanta and forcing tens of thousands of people under orders to shelter in place.

MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Smelser, [email protected]

This Sunday, a fire broke out at the BioLabs manufacturing plant in Conyers, Ga., leading to a poisonous plume of chlorine near Atlanta and forcing tens of thousands of people under orders to shelter in place.

Statement from Heather McTeer Toney, executive director of Beyond Petrochemicals:

“This week, a haze of poisonous chemicals hangs over communities in and around Atlanta, forcing tens of thousands of families to evacuate, schools to close, and communities to shelter in place to avoid exposure.

“Again and again, the sight of black smoke and the threat of toxic chemicals from avoidable disasters has become too common. Across the United States, communities deserve to feel safe in their own homes, and steps like the Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention Rule are key to a safer future. As the current administration works to restore and increase chemical safety protections stripped by the previous administration, it is essential that we put communities over industry.”

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MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Smelser, [email protected]

About Beyond Petrochemicals:

Launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies in September 2022, Beyond Petrochemicals: People Over Pollution aims to halt the rapid expansion of petrochemical and plastic pollution in the United States. The campaign draws on the success of the Beyond Coal campaign, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Bloomberg’s Beyond Carbon campaign, to turbocharge existing efforts led by frontline communities to block the rapid expansion of 120+ petrochemical projects concentrated in three target geographies – Louisiana, Texas, and the Ohio River Valley. The campaign also works to establish stricter rules for existing petrochemical plants to safeguard the health of American communities. To date, Beyond Petrochemicals has helped raise awareness and lead timely collaboration efforts using its four pillars of community leadership, data and research, legislation and litigation, and stakeholder engagement to accelerate its goals. For more information, please visit us at beyondpetrochemicals.org and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.