Dry cleaner environmental risk: PCE, vapor and what buyers should check
One former dry cleaner can turn a simple retail purchase into a years-long solvent cleanup.
Why dry cleaners and the strip centers that hold them carry this risk
Most cleaners used perchloroethylene (PCE), a solvent that is heavier than water and sinks through concrete, soil and into groundwater. Small, routine drips over decades add up.
PCE also turns into vapor that can move into the building and the units next door. Many states run special funds for dry cleaner cleanups because the costs are so high.
What usually turns up
Solvent in soil and groundwater
Often seriousPCE releases are expensive and slow to clean up. They often reach groundwater and spread past the property line.
Vapor in the building
Often seriousSolvent vapor can collect in the cleaner's space and neighboring units, which can mean mitigation systems and tenant claims.
Drop-off sites with a past plant
Worth checkingToday's drop-off counter may sit where a full plant ran in the 1970s. Old city directories show which.
What the pre-screen checks for a dry cleaner
- Federal and state records for dry cleaning operations, hazardous waste and solvent cleanup cases.
- State dry cleaner program lists where the state has one.
- Old directories and historical aerials for past cleaners in the center and next door.
- Nearby cleanup sites that could send vapor or groundwater your way.
Pre-screen a property before you spend on a Phase I
A desk review of one address: past uses from historical photos and maps, federal and state environmental records, and flood risk, ready usually within the hour. $100 for one report, or $100/month for 3.
Questions to ask the seller
- Did the cleaner ever clean on site, or only take drop-offs? Since when?
- Has the site applied to the state's dry cleaner cleanup program?
- Has anyone tested indoor air or sub-slab vapor?
- Do leases make the tenant responsible for environmental cleanup?
When to order a full Phase I
Always order a full Phase I where a dry cleaner operated on site, and plan for a vapor assessment. A pre-screen tells you early whether there is a cleaner in the history.