Adams Cleaners Story Map
The
Adams Drycleaner Site is located at the intersection of Independence Avenue and
Goddard Street in Quincy, Massachusetts (42°14'15.26"N, 71°
0'14.29"W). Quincy is located in Norfolk
County and the 8th Congressional District in eastern Massachusetts, with a
population of approximately
94,470 people [5, 6]. The 0.05-acre Site is located in a commercial and
residential area. The property is occupied by one building which is currently
vacant. The property is bounded on the south and east by residences, and on the
north and west by commercial buildings.
Adams
Cleaners operated on the site from the 1950s to 2015. Site Investigations conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) began in
2015 which found elevated concentrations of tetrachloroethylene (a.k.a. perchloroethylene
or PCE) in soil samples collected beneath the building. Further investigations found PCE in one well on the property and elevated
levels of PCE in the groundwater downgradient. Vapor intrusion sampling in
adjacent and downgradient properties found elevated levels of PCE in the indoor
air.
In
August 2021, the MassDEP requested
assistance from EPA Region 1's Emergency Planning and Response Branch to:
- Investigate and mitigate the source of the contamination at 32 Independence Ave.;
- Assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the sub-slab depressurization system installed by MassDEP at an adjacent residence; and
- Secure access and conduct vapor intrusion sampling at residences and businesses in the area to assess potential health threats.
EPA began work at the site in the Fall of 2021 and anticipates work to continue through the winter of 2022.
Click image above to view site StoryMap
