Impact
WARD: Citywide
COMMITTEE:
$ IMPACT: $39,600.00
Title
Approval of Professional Services Agreement with GHD Services Inc. d/b/a GHD Environmental and Consulting Inc. (11719 Hinson Rd, Suite 100, Little Rock, AR 72212) between the City of Smyrna, Cobb County, and possibly the City of Atlanta with the estimated contribution from the City of Smyrna being $39,600.00 for Industrial Hygiene, Risk Assessment Services, Hazard Assessment, and Ambient Air Sampling.
Body
ISSUE: Recently it was determined that a business name Sterigenics located in unincorporated Cobb County is emitting Ethylene Oxide that may exceed limits set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). In response, the City of Smyrna, in conjunction with Cobb County and the City of Atlanta, has discussed strategies to address the issues proactively. The City intends to retain an appropriate expert to consult and evaluate any potential health issues by testing and modeling potential Ethylene Oxide emissions.
BACKGROUND: The City of Smyrna is in the process of establishing an Oversight Committee composed of local elected officials, public health and emergency management professionals, as well as other local stakeholders to work with a Task Force of private technology experts to quickly implement a plan to test the air near the Atlanta Sterigenics plant and analyze the results for our community.
The Independent Air Quality Task Force, established by Mayor Bacon, will be composed of an emissions chemical engineer, a toxicologist, an industrial hygienist, an environmental attorney, and ambient air sampling experts. This group will also work with GHD, the company that conducted independent testing around the Willowbrook, Illinois Sterigenics plant.
Current expectation is for testing to begin with initial results for analysis following. The Oversight Committee will work with officials in the City of Atlanta as warranted ...
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