Cleanup has resumed at the former Olympia Dry Cleaners site in an effort to remove decades’ worth of pollution.
Starting Aug. 3, the state Department of Ecology will remove nearly 400 tons of contaminated soil at 606 Union Ave. S.E. The property’s current tenant, Howard’s Prestige Cleaners, will remain open during the work.
The main pollutant is tetrachloroethene (PCE), a chemical solvent commonly used by dry cleaners. High concentrations of PCE can cause negative health effects such as dizziness, nausea and headaches. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified PCE as likely to be carcinogenic, meaning it has the potential to cause cancer in humans with long-term exposure.