Cleanup work continued Sunday after about 2,300 gallons of automotive cleaning solvent spilled into water near homes in Cobb County.
The stream is an unnamed tributary of Nickajack Creek, Department of Natural Resources spokesman Kevin Chambers said. It runs along Heather Road and through the yards of more than 25 homes in the Kenwood subdivsion in Smyrna.
Officials dammed the stream and that held the spilled substance before it reached Nickajack, Chambers said.
“That’s good because Nickajack eventually flows into the Chattahoochee (River),” Chambers said. “Air quality in the area is being monitored as a precaution.”
The spill came from a carburetor cleaner leak from a nearby facility of PLZ Aeroscience, the parent company of Apollo Technologies, Chief Operating Officer Geoff Ladue said.
Ladue said when they learned of the contamination the company immediately notified the local fire department, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and remediation firm Environmental Products & Services of Vermont, Georgia Division, which has extensive experience in this type of cleanup.
“We were able to quickly dam the creek and contain the situation and are doing everything as quickly and safely as possible to clean this up,” Ladue said.
The agencies plan to continue pumping contaminated water from the stream into large holding tanks for proper disposal.
Ladue said safety is a top priority and the company is investigating the cause of the spill and steps to ensure something like this won’t happen again.
“Our employees live and work in the community,” Ladue said.
While cleanup continues, Chambers said residents should stay away from the water.
“People and pets should avoid going in or near the stream,” Chambers said.
About the Author
