Valpo dry cleaners remains open during environmental cleanup
Source: http://www.nwitimes.com, October 26, 2015
A dry cleaners in Valparaiso is undergoing a soil and groundwater contamination cleanup without disrupting its business operations.
Mercury Cleaners has been operating at the same site near the Porter County Courthouse at 356 W. Lincolnway in Valparaiso since 1950.
Mercury Cleaners was cited by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management after testing discovered perchloroethylene (also known as PERC or PCE) in the soil and groundwater on a nearby property. The item was a previously common dry cleaning solvent that is no longer in use.
PCE or PERC is a volatile organic compounds listed by the federal government as a suspected human carcinogens.
Norman, Linda and Brett Dygert, owners of Mercury Cleaners, received a notice of liability from IDEM requiring them to find and remove the contaminants caused by dry cleaning solution leaching into the ground under their business.
“We were unnerved, to say the least, but we also wanted to solve the problem,” Linda Dygert said in a statement issued by EnviroForensics, the Indianapolis-based environmental engineering firm contracted for the cleanup work.
EnviroForensics worked with the Dygerts and IDEM on a remediation plan that allows Mercury Cleaners to stay open while cleanup work is underway.
“This has been a team effort with the cooperation of our staff, the Dygerts, legal counsel, IDEM and neighbors,” Chris Jaros, senior project manager for EnviroForensics said in the statement issued by the company.
EnviroForensics representatives said the system is being monitored continuously throughout the process.
The work, which EnviroForensics reps said could cost several hundreds of thousands of dollars, is being funded by insurance policies held by the cleaners.
Mercury Cleaners erected signs informing customers of the work.
“Even though our customers know work is being done, it’s hardly noticeable,” Brett Dygert said. “Our customers are understanding and our staff is understanding as well. Most of them are happy the work is being done.”
