Knowing the amount of a toxic chemical release is not enough to get a sense of the health impact we can expect. This is because a small amount of a highly toxic chemical can be much more harmful than a large amount of a substance that is only slightly toxic. Incorporating the toxicity along with the amount of the chemical leads to a number which can be accessed by clicking on the points in the map below, called the “RSEI Hazard” by the EPA.

The toxicity and the chemical amount in the RSEI Hazard are not enough to truly explain the threat to human health, because even lower quantities of less toxic substances can be mis-managed and disposed more irresponsible ways. For instance, releasing consistent fumes in a residential neighborhood, or dumping into a stream that runs directly behind an elementary school should be more alarming than dumping carefully at a distance from the greater population. These population and exposure aspects are accounted for in the RSEI Score which can be viewed here.

Allied Wood also appears as a Class IV Hazardous Waste Site indicating past actions/events which warranted cleanup. The details in the link indicate hazardous levels of Chromium originating at that site getting into the local groundwater. Chromium IV is classified as a human carcinogen (a cancer-causing substance) by the EPA and IARC.

• Arsenic is used most commonly in pressure treating wood against rot and decay.
• Inorganic arsenic is considered a human carcinogen by the EPA and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Long term exposure to arsenic leads to higher risk of cancer and other toxic effects on the body.
• Arsenic compounds like those used in pressure treatment typically have no smell, and cannot be easily detected by humans. However, long term exposure to arsenic is associated with darkened spots on skin and elevated “corns” or “warts”.

• Chromium is a hard steel-gray metal used in various different industries. It’s the 8th most common metal in the earth’s crust and is even a supplement in some forms. Other forms, particularly Chromium(Vi), depending on the level of oxidation are extremely toxic and carcinogenic. 

• Short-term exposure: respiratory issues (nasal and lung irritation, altered pulmonary function), gastrointestinal (irritation, ulceration and nonneoplastic lesions of the stomach and small intestine), hematological (microcytic, hypochromic anemia). 

• Long-term: Respiratory & Gastrointestinal system cancers. CDC – Chromium 

• Reproductive effects: effects on male reproductive organs, including decreased sperm count and histopathological change to the epididymis. 

There is some worthwhile concern over potential PFAS contamination in the South River Watershed (which covers the vast majority of South DeKalb county). PFAS are toxic “forever chemicals” which means that the human body cannot break them down and they tend to linger and accumulate inside of us. Public awareness of PFAS pollution, and efforts to prevent and protect against contamination are relatively new. Aside from possible sources in industry, PFAS may be released into the environment in large quantity via firefighting activities. Some of the highest PFAS level detections have been at military bases, where PFAS-containing firefighting foam have often been tested or used to extinguish liquid and chemical fires. Only recently has legislation arisen to limit the use PFAS firefighter foam, but with vague language leaving apparent opportunity for continued use.

While there has not been direct detection of significant/hazardous levels of PFAS in DeKalb county (that we have found thus far), the monitoring may be insufficient. There is absent PFAS monitoring in drinking water in South DeKalb from the EPA and the county itself does not appear to include measurements in required reporting. While an upcoming monitoring requirement that has come along with new EPA regulations should provide insight by 2027, independent monitoring and preventive actions like advocacy and personal filtration can be taken in the meantime. Most realistically, gathering independent testing data may help secure funding for advocacy and personal filtration efforts. 

According to DeKalb county firefighting standard procedure, “All chemical or hazardous material incidents will have a unit capable of foam application dispatched to the scene.” Which incidents qualify as chemical or hazardous material, under what conditions the foam goes into use, and how much of this foam is still PFAS-containing, all remain open questions in our investigation. The public safety training facility under construction on Constitution Rd. SE  is also a possible future source of PFAS contamination, as discussed below. 

Currently under construction on Constitution Rd. SE is a Public Safety Training Facility which has attracted significant attention and backlash at both the local and national levels. It is located among the highly industrialized section of unincorporated DeKalb County along Intrenchment Creek (which feeds into the South River). It is applauded by advocates as necessary for police and fire training. It has been criticized for removing one of the few remaining natural buffers to mitigate industrial health threats and a lack of overall transparency.

Plans for this location are not only focused on police training but also include firefighting with a six story burn building at the site. While no specific plans regarding the use of firefighting foam have been expressed by the City of Atlanta, unclear legal restrictions and expectations of new and unconventional training methods appear to leave a wide opportunity for the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam. Legally binding agreements against the use of these chemicals will be more useful sooner than later to prevent damage to the local environment and residents. 

A recent fire on the South River just upstream of DeKalb county in September caused the release of an unknown variety of chemicals. According to the South River Watershed Alliance and the data of Dr. Sarah Ledford at GSU, the runoff from extinguishing this fire caused miles of wildlife destruction and chemical imbalances. Extinguishing the unusual fire took three days and possibly required the use of methods beyond water to extinguish; it is unclear at this point whether this might have included the use of PFAS-including firefighter foam. This fire was caused by a giant mulch pile which was reportedly in violation of code, reinforcing concerns over code enforcement and hidden threats in this area.

The community smell concerns in the Smell My City complaint system have often pointed the nearby Seminole Landfill as a suspected source of the unusual chemical smells and alleged health impacts. One local group in Chapel Hill has worked to collaborate on testing for released chemicals in the air and water and claims the results of the test indicate the presence of a variety of hazardous and cancer-causing chemicals in their neighborhood. However, these test results have not yet been made public. 

Thus far, there is not sufficient evidence to confirm whether the landfill may be releasing significant toxins to cause the severe illnesses observed. However, this does not mean the community concerns should be abandoned. Science for Georgia is in the process of requesting access to the materials inventory/manifest of the landfill to determine possible health threats and better establish the community claims. We also hope to repeat local testing of air and water based on suspected chemical sources. 

In an area such as South DeKalb, some incidents have gone unexplained, such as an uncharacteristic series of deadly cancers at Narvie J. Harris elementary school. The combination of industrial and mixed-use zoning appears to allow for a variety of industrial activities, and where zoning enforcement has a troubled reputation, residents are right to suspect that more substances may be entering their neighborhoods than acknowledged in any of these formal reporting processes.