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Environmental Enlightenment #067 |
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Here's the latest edition of Environmental Enlightenment - a SHORT, LIGHT and SIMPLE environmental newsletter. Its purpose is to inform and educate. If you do not want to receive further mailings from Ami Adini & Associates, unsubscribe now by scrolling to the bottom of this email and clicking on the unsubscribe link. Three of 11 New Superfund Sites Caused by Dry Cleaning OperationsParties transacting with real properties have come to exercise caution when they discover past or present evidence of dry-cleaning operations. For an interesting picture of a dry cleaning operation go to: http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an20023502 (Couldn't copy it into this newsletter as the photo is copyrighted. A.A.) On April 7th, 2004, the Groundwater Resources Association of California (GRA) will hold a symposium in Sacramento, California, on the subject of, “Investigation and Remediation of Dry Cleaner Release Sites.” I extracted the following information from the GRA's web site at http://www.grac.org/dc.html and from the invitation letter. This week, the United States Environmental Protection Agency announced 11 new Superfund Sites. Three of the 11 new Superfund sites were listed to address contamination caused by release of PCE from dry cleaning businesses. Dry cleaner operations today have greatly improved their handling of PCE and other solvents, with a corresponding reduction in the threat to groundwater quality. The legacy of dry cleaning operations in past decades, when the volumes of solvent used were as much as five times higher than present, when machinery and solvent handling practices generated significant PCE releases, and when waste disposal practices generally were limited to sewer connections, septic tanks, landfills, and dumping, continues to threaten groundwater resources today. PCE has in many instances been shown to be a very persistent and problematic contaminant. For example, US EPA is investigating impacts to the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz County from a dry cleaning business that closed its doors more than 40 years ago. In Santa Clara County, the 220 active dry cleaning plants represent only a quarter of the total number of locations in which dry cleaning businesses have operated in the past 70 years. The majority of these former dry cleaning operations have not been investigated for impacts to groundwater or potential health risk from vapor intrusion to occupied structures. The well-documented potential for dry cleaners using perchloroethylene (PCE) to impact soil and groundwater has not been met with a commensurate regulatory response for water quality protection. Typically, dry cleaner releases are only discovered in the course of Phase II investigations for property transactions, or when PCE shows up in a nearby groundwater investigation, for example, at fuel leak sites. Unfortunately, in too many instances, the first indication of a dry cleaner release has been detection of PCE in water supply wells. While dry cleaners are held to stringent regulatory standards for air emissions, sewer discharges, and hazardous materials handling, there are currently no California regulations requiring ongoing monitoring of groundwater to detect releases from dry cleaners. When PCE is detected in a supply well or on a neighboring property, it can be very difficult to attribute the release to a specific dry cleaner. PCE is used by many businesses, including automotive maintenance, printing, electronics manufacturing, and high temperature degreasing for various metal fabricating businesses. Dry cleaners have occupied many locations, sometimes for only a few years before moving to a new location, leaving multiple potential sources. Even as equipment upgrades and improved solvent handling practices have led to major improvements in minimizing solvent losses, a number of avenues remain by which PCE may escape operating dry cleaners. Please visit http://www.grac.org/dc.html to view the full agenda and program announcement. Call me if you've got any questions. There are no obligations. |
