CONYERS, Ga. — Nearly three weeks after a chemical fire at the BioLab facility, community members and activists gathered on Main Street in Conyers on Saturday, demanding the plant’s closure.
Frustrated residents are fed up with officials' lack of communication and solutions.
“Tell the governor, tell the mayor—we deserve clean air,” chanted protesters as they marched down the street.
Residents of Rockdale County are still grappling with the aftermath of the Sept. 29 fire, which led to a shelter-in-place order lasting more than two weeks. Many feel abandoned by both the local government and the company responsible.
“We’ve all been made to feel invaluable, ignored, and abandoned,” said one of the protesters, Madelyn Reece. “I want to see a comprehensive investigation—not from BioLab and not from the Rockdale County government.”
Neke Stroud has lived in Rockdale County her entire life. She joined the protest, voicing concerns about the long-term health effects of chemical exposure.
“Myself, my sisters, my whole family lives in Conyers,” Stroud said. “Unfortunately, we’ve all been affected—bad headaches, skin irritation—you name it, we’ve gone through it out here.”
Despite BioLab opening a community assistance center and a 24-hour hotline for those seeking information or compensation, residents said support has been limited. Stroud noted that people are struggling to get help.
“I went to the center to hand out flyers for the protest. I got there at 3:30, and some people had been waiting since eight or nine that morning,” she said.
The protest comes just days after Rockdale County officials lifted the shelter-in-place order. For many like Stroud, the news brought little relief.
“We don’t want to rely on you to tell us anything because relying on you didn’t get us anywhere,” she said.
Residents continue to call for the BioLab facility to be shut down, hoping their voices will be heard. But as they stand in the plant's shadow, some begin to lose faith.
“We’re just hoping we’re not crying into the void,” Stroud said. “But it’s hard to see the light right now.”