Source: https://www.environmentalleader.com, July 13, 2017
By: Jennifer Hermes

An Ontario-based dry cleaning company has been fined several thousands of dollars for violations of tetrachloroethylene regulations. The chemical, a chemical used in dry cleaning that has been linked to cancer, can enter the soil and eventually into groundwater. Peter’s Drive-In Cleaners has been fined a total of $10,000; the fines will be directed to the Environmental Damages Fund, according to HazMat Mag.
Last July, an inspection revealed that wastewater containing the chemical had not been transported to a waste-management facility.
Tetrachloroethylene has been banned from use in dry cleaning machines in California, according to Forbes.
Tetrachloroethylene in soil and groundwater can cause complex cleanup processes for builders attempting to construct new buildings on contaminated sites, including sites that house dry cleaners at one time. A developer in Yonkers, NY, had been planning to build a 25-story apartment building on the former Teutonic Hall site, but work had stalled for two years. The developer, which is seeking renewal for its site plan, stating that “We had a complex clean-up that took longer than anticipated, but (it) is now complete and we are ready to move forward,” according to USA Today.
The site had previously been used as a dry cleaning facility, as well as a knitting mill and a manufacturing company. The primary chemicals involved in the cleanup included tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethene in soil vapor, along with polyaromatic hydrocarbons, metals in soil and chlorinated solvents.