[B]URLINGTON — Federal and state environmental officials have widened their search for cancer-causing chemicals in a section of the Old North End that includes one of the city’s elementary schools.
Two chemicals commonly used in the dry-cleaning process were discovered last year during a test as part of a property transfer inspection on Elmwood Avenue. This summer, more than 100 residents in the area were given a letter notifying them that more testing will occur and that access to their property may be needed.
This week testing began at the Integrated Arts Academy, a pre-K to 5th grade school with almost 300 students.
State officials hope to have a better idea how far the contamination has spread and the gravity of the problem by the end of this month.
The federal EPA and state Department of Environmental Conservation are testing for perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE). The agents are known carcinogens, are particularly harmful to a fetus and can also cause nervous and immune system problems depending on length of exposure.
“I don’t think we have an acute risk, but we don’t have any data” to determine the extent and seriousness of the contamination, said Trish Coppolino of DEC.
She said the amount measured in the one home was not “acute” and was fixed by venting the vapors the same way radon is dispersed. She said any homes with high levels could likely be mitigated in the same inexpensive way.
The zone being tested extends several blocks on either side of the site where the contamination was found — from Cedar Street, to Intervale Ave to Lafountain Street. To the north is the Burlington Intervale. The concern is that the chemicals could seep from the ground into homes through the foundation.
Gadue’s Dry Cleaning operated a business on Elmwood Avenue and has been identified as a “potential contributor” to the contamination, according to Coppolino. Contributors and owners of site’s where pollution occurred are financially liable for any cleanup and remediation, she said.
Aline Gadue, the president of the company, said her family operated a dry-cleaning business from 1985 to 1990 on Elmwood Avenue but said the site had been used for dry cleaning since the 1950’s.
She said that during the company’s ownership, Gadue’s collected the toxic waste and properly disposed of it off site. In addition, she pointed out that Gadue’s has been a national leader in the use of non-toxic chemicals and has been using a state-of-the-art dry-cleaning method since 2011 at its six Chittenden County locations.
“As a business, we did everything right,” Gadue said, adding she was concerned about the news of the contamination in the neighborhood. The company still owns the Elmwood Avenue site but does not use it for active dry cleaning.
School officials said Wednesday there was “no cause for alarm” and emphasized that the school was not the source of the contamination. Testing at the school started Tuesday and is expected to be completed by by Thursday. Burlington school officials said they expect to know if any work needs to be done before the school year starts next month.
Russ Elek, a spokesperson for the school district, said in a statement the district had received calls from worried parents, but he downplayed concerns.
“At this time, we view this testing to be a proactive measure. We have been told that we can expect to receive the results before school starts and our team is prepared for any scenario the EPA may present,” Elek said.
Mayor Miro Weinberger echoed the school district’s view.
“I am pleased that the EPA is moving quickly to take this precautionary measure to determine if there is any potential risk to public health in the Old North End. The City has been working with the EPA and DEC to make sure they have the access they need to collect samples this week,” the mayor said.
In 1983, the state Health Department discovered widespread groundwater contamination caused by a dry-cleaning business in Williamstown. The plant was located next door to Williamstown High School and uphill from the town’s elementary school. A large-scale cleanup took place and the building has since been torn down.
