Dry Cleaner Testing

While a dry cleaners presence in a shopping center can be an anchor for other businesses, the presence of one can expose the land owner to a wealth of environmental risk. There are many things that a land owner can do to help minimize this risk. Partner Engineering and Science, Inc. is able to help land owners develop a plan to minimize this risk.

With the numerous chemicals that are used during the dry cleaning process, there are a laundry list of potential environmental issues and liabilities. Throughout the years, dry cleaners have used kerosene, benzene and petroleum naptha as dry cleaning solvents. Between 1930 and 1960, carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethylene (TCE) was also used. Around 1950, petroleum naptha was replaced by Perchloreoethylene (PCE). While Freon 113 and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) was used briefly between 1960 and 1980, PCE remains the most widely used dry cleaning solvent. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), approximately 90% of dry cleaners are still using PCE as of 2004.

The use of dry cleaning solvents has been linked to soil and groundwater contamination through many means. Contamination can occur from the most obvious, spillage, to the least obvious, leakage from old sewer lines that service the dry cleaner. Because of these risks, dry cleaner soil testing or soil testing for PCE (Perc) may be required.

There are steps that can be taken to minimize the risk a dry cleaner places on property acquisitions. Partner has performed hundreds of inspections to help our clients minimize this risk. A thorough Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) should be done prior to acquisition of the property. Partner is able to look at the historical background of a property in order to fully assess the environmental liability of a land or building owner. When looking at the background of a property, it is important to consider the presence of an active dry cleaner or a past dry cleaner. Older dry cleaners have the potential for more contamination due to the type of machines that were used. Older machines were less efficient at not releasing dry cleaning solvents.

If during the historical background check it is found that a dry cleaner was onsite, than a Phase II ESA, aka Dry Cleaner Phase II, should be conducted. Partner is able to develop a plan to fully assess the amount of remediation that may be required and can then develop a strategic plan to complete the remediation fully.

For complete details on how Partner can help guide you through the process of getting a Dry Cleaner Environmental Report and the many other services that Partner provides, visit Partner Engineering and Science’s main website.