Nearly three months after a BioLab chemical plant fire caused thousands of Rockdale County residents to evacuate, the company announced Wednesday a New Year’s Eve deadline for those affected to submit their financial claims for reimbursements.
The fire occurred on Sept. 29 at a BioLab facility in Conyers, Georgia, making national headlines.
The accident led to chemical exposure that impacted the county’s air quality and posed potential health risks to community members. Roughly 17,000 Rockdale residents received an evacuation order after the incident, while a shelter-in-place order took effect for others.
The facility has since been closed, with no announcement yet as to whether or not it will reopen for operation.
“As part of BioLab’s commitment to supporting the community … the Company has worked continuously to address the needs of impacted area residents and business owners,” the company stated in a press release. “Reflecting the steady decrease in the volume of incoming new claims … any remaining reimbursement claims must be made by December 31, 2024. All eligible claims that are initiated on or before this deadline will be processed as usual.”
The most efficient way to apply, according to the company, is through the email address BioLabClaims@biolabinc.com. Claims submitted must include name, address, phone number, a list of items being claimed/amount of each claimed item and attached copies of receipts or other additional documentation.
Claimants can also dial BioLab’s 24/7 call center at 678-301-2359 to submit their claims by the Dec. 31 deadline. The company states that all eligible claims initiated on or before the cutoff date will be processed as usual.
The company has received criticism from community members and the government for what many considered a lack of safety and health precautions that could have prevented the incident.
On Oct. 21, Rockdale County Commissioner Sherri Washington announced that the county planned to file a federal lawsuit against BioLab and its parent company, Kik Consumer Products.
“We can no longer stand by and allow a corporation to continuously affect our current and future physical health, our mental health and our overall quality of life,” said the commissioner at a press conference outside the county courthouse.
Earlier that month, on Oct. 8, Biolab began operating a Community Assistance Center based in Conyers, which evaluates and processes reimbursement requests. According to the company, the center has responded to more than 29,000 calls and 9,000 emails, as well as assisted 4,000 individuals in person.
The center will continue to assist with filing claims for community members with appointments until Dec. 21, with appointments available on a first-come, first-serve basis through BioLab’s website.
Additional information for submitting claims can be found here.
