Toxic chemicals found at former dry-cleaning site in Richmond

RICHMOND, Calif. (KRON) – The Contra Costa County Department of Health says it found cancer-causing chemicals in the soil near a former dry-cleaning business in Richmond. Officials are working on taking more samples to see if it’s doing any harm to the air.

It is scary news for people living in the neighborhood. A high concentration of perchloroethylene, or PCE, a chemical known to cause cancer, has been found in their soil.

The first sample was found near Barrett Avenue and 20th Street across from a building that housed multiple dry cleaning businesses between 1960 and 2001.

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“We’re working as quickly as we can to assess the situation and to take the steps necessary to make sure they’re protected,” said Todd Sax, the deputy director of site mitigation for the California Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC).

His agency has been investigating 112 former dry cleaning facilities as part of a new initiative to clean up vulnerable communities. They’ve collected samples from five of those sites so far.

“It’s the first and only one so far where we’ve identified chemical concentrations that were high enough to require this kind of immediate action,” Sax said.

Friday officials were going door-to-door to get permission from residents to install devices that will measure if the chemical from the soil is also in the air.

The Contra Costa County Supervisor for the area, John Gioia, went with them. He says he spoke to the family who lives closest to the site.

“They were surprised, they were concerned,” he said. “But as we told them, we don’t know yet whether or not the chemicals are causing health impacts in the homes of the surrounding neighbors.”

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If officials do find the chemical in the air, the DTSC will provide a temporary mitigation effort to reduce air contamination by installing fans and ventilation systems while they come up with a long-term clean-up plan. Gioia says if that’s the case, the families may need help.

“The state needs to provide funding for these families to move temporarily if that is required,” he said.

The DTSC says this is a top priority and they expect to start testing the air in people’s homes within the next few weeks. PCE is no longer allowed to be used by dry cleaning businesses in California as of this year because of its dangerous side effects.

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