Five years ago, several people who lived along Dollar Avenue in Durham’s Trinity Park neighborhood learned they may have been exposed to a toxic chemical used in dry cleaning. At best, long-term exposure to the chemical, tetracholoroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene or perc, can cause liver and kidney damage. At worst, cancer.
Tonight, residents can learn more about the status of the contamination clean up—also known as remediation—at a meeting sponsored by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
In 2010, N.C. DENR began cleaning up the contamination at the former One Hour Martinizing, 1103 W. Club Blvd., and discovered perc had leaked into the soil and spread at least 150 feet. Vapors had also infiltrated the indoor air in two nearby homes. One resident, Laura Drey, whose home was affected, moved out of the neighborhood.
There are at least 23 other known and suspected dry cleaning contamination sites in Durham; statewide, there are upward of 400. [pdf-1]
at a former dry cleaner’s, One Hour Martinizing, 1103 W, Club Blvd.
It later became Word of Faith Church.
