Residents claim to still feel effects of battery burning in Piqua; Outside expert looking into water

Some Piqua residents say they’re still feeling the effects of a former lithium battery burn site nearly a year after it was shut down.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Area surrounding former water plant where batteries burned free of pollutants in Piqua

Residents met at Edison Community College on Wednesday night to discuss the next steps in pursuing answers on possible lasting effects from the site, which saw lithium batteries being burned as research for a firefighter training program.

“I had blood work done and I have heavy metals in my system and things that are, I believe, linked to the burns here,” Alisha Lang said.

Lang has been concerned about the lasting effects of the burn site.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) put an end to the battery burning in September. The City of Piqua, in an update to the community issued Thursday evening about the former water treatment plant, said, “the site and areas of the community surrounding the site are free of pollutants and safe for residents.”

The city, in its update, said the OEPA reviewed the city’s plans to shut the plant before they were executed as well as the results.

Concerned people, such as Lang, have been recruiting help to look into the lasting effects of the burn site.

>> RELATED: Third-party who conducted battery burning at Piqua facility moves out

“We finally have an independent water expert, testing expert, Scott Smith,” Lang said.

As reported on News Center 7 at 5:30 , Smith is CEO of U.S. Bio Solutions and is part of the Government Accountability Project, a non-profit whistleblower group. He’s been credited with uncovering information in the East Palestine train derailment and has now turned his focus to Piqua.

“Piqua may be the absolutely most significant contamination event that I’ve encountered,” Smith said.

Smith told News Center 7′s Mason Fletcher he’s working with groups of concerned Piqua residents to establish their next steps.

“What we’re doing today, our poster presentation is trying to develop a testing plan with the community and figure out where we’re going to test and what we’re going to test for,” he explained.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ‘ This is our home;’ Some still not satisfied after city holds town hall over water quality concerns

Lang said she’s excited about the next step in her process.

“We want every molecule cleaned if there’s something wrong,” she said.

News Center 7 reached out to the OEPA on Thursday and they said the city conducted sampling, hired a consultant, and performed analysis.

“Based on the results of that sampling, it was determined no further testing was required,” a spokesperson said.