“I feel like the governor has been very nonchalant about the whole thing,” he said. “We need something done right now.”

Oppong said there also are concerns that property values in the area could be damaged due to the publicity surrounding ethylene oxide emissions from the facility.

08/29/2019 -- Smyrna, Georgia -- Jenni Shover of Smyrna (center) holds a sign during a protest against a Cobb County Sterigenics plant at the intersection of Atlanta Road and Plant Atkinson Road, Thursday, August 29, 2019. (Alyssa Pointer/alyssa.pointer@ajc.com) Credit: Alyssa Pointer Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Jenni Shover has lived and worked in the area for 19 years. An avid gardener, Shover said she’s now reduced the amount of time she spends outside.

Shover said she hopes the political and business leaders will develop a sense of urgency to address concerns.

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Thursday's protest was held two days after Georgia environmental regulators visited the Sterigenics plant to investigate an ethylene oxide leak that forced an evacuation of the facility on July 31. The unannounced visit happened hours after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution asked state officials whether Sterigenics reported the leak, and sought comment from them about the evacuation.

08/29/2019 -- Smyrna, Georgia -- Robin Cubbage of Smyrna gives a thumbs-up to a passer-by during a protest against a Cobb County Sterigenics plant at the intersection of Atlanta Road and Plant Atkinson Road, Thursday, August 29, 2019. (Alyssa Pointer/alyssa.pointer@ajc.com) Credit: Alyssa Pointer Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Sterigenics told the AJC that the leak was detected by sensors inside the plant and was determined to be below the 10-pound reporting threshold.

RELATED | Explosion, gas leak raise fresh safety concerns at Sterigenics plant

For Barry Goppman, attending the protests and community meetings has been personal.

The Smyrna resident was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2017. It’s a form of cancer that starts in the bone marrow and migrates to the blood.

Goppman said the company could explore non-toxic gases that can be used to sterilize medical equipment. When asked if concerns over ethylene oxide have changed his lifestyle, Goppman said he’s already limited in the amount of exercise he can perform without getting tired.

“I’m already damaged,” he said. “I can’t be undamaged.”

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