Chemical levels spike in Cobb creek where carburetor cleaner leaked

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Results show potentially dangerous chemical levels increasing after the state declared the chemical spill cleanup in a Cobb County creek complete.%

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New numbers show chemical levels nearly have doubled within the last week -- measured in parts per billion.

The Chattahoochee River Keeper took samples after carburetor cleaner turned a creek behind homes in Smyrna chalk white.

The river keeper told Channel 2 investigative reporter Aaron Diamant that the numbers should wave a red flag.

Diamant said the creek affected by the August spill still has a very obvious chemical smell.

Investigators will now have to figure out if the original spill site is the source of these new elevated chemical levels.

"Nobody wants toxic waste in their front yard. Period," neighbor Dana McPherson told Diamant.

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But more three weeks after the chemical spill at Apollo Technologies in Smyrna sent 2,300 gallons of carburetor cleaner into a creek, turning the water that flows through McPherson’s neighborhood white, the latest round of downstream sample tests shows rising levels of the chemical naphthalene.

"I want them to make it right, clean it up," McPherson said.

The samples taken last week by an environmental group, Chattahoochee River Keeper, found naphthalene at 28 parts per billion, up from 16 parts per billion the week before, when Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division declared the cleanup complete.

"Everything we have seen says this stream is as safe as it has ever been prior to this spill," said Bert Langley with Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division.

The state considers naphthalene levels of 35 parts per billion and lower safe, but for Jason Ulseth with the Chattahoochee River Keeper, that’s unacceptable.

"The chemicals that we're seeing in the creek are not natural chemicals. We shouldn't have any of it in the creek,” Ulseth told Diamant.

Ulseth told said even trace amounts of naphthelene can be toxic to fish and wildlife.

And while he called the federal, state and local emergency response to the spill so far extraordinary, Ulseth said they can't walk away now.

"After a major spill like this, we can't just get to an OK level. The company has a responsibility to clean this up to a level that's safe for people, fish and wildlife, and I don't think we're there yet," Ulseth said.

Apollo's parent company sent Diamant a statement on the naphthalene levels saying:

"The remaining trace amounts are well below what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) consider to be safe, acceptable levels. Both agencies confirmed that there were no concerns about drinking water or air quality."

The Chattahoochee River Keeper said it will take a new round of samples from the creek Tuesday.

Cox Media Group