Former Melrose Dry Cleaners

Site No. 203009

The New York State Departments of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Health (DOH) are working together to protect public health and the environment in the South Bronx Melrose community adjacent to the Former Melrose Avenue Dry Cleaner Site, located at 753 Melrose Avenue, Bronx. DEC, working closely with DOH and community stakeholders, designed a cleanup through the State Superfund (SSF) program to treat groundwater contamination and fully investigate any potential impacts on properties in the neighborhood. 

Site Background

The Former Melrose Avenue Dry Cleaner Site previously included a structure that was a dry cleaner operating from approximately 1950 to 1968, when the building was demolished. Since that time, the property has been a vacant lot covered with crushed stone and surrounded by a chain link fence. Contamination discovered during a petroleum spill investigation at FDNY Engine 71/Ladder 55 (720 Melrose Ave) in 1997 identified the former dry cleaner operations as a potential source of groundwater contamination and soil vapor at vacant property and off-site structures. The Former Melrose Dry Cleaner site is listed in the Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites, known as the State Superfund (SSF). 

Spills or improper disposal of dry-cleaning solvents resulted in the materials leaking into soil and further underground between soil particles and rocks that are filled with water or air, contaminating groundwater and creating soil vapor concerns at the site and in limited areas south of the site.

Site Impact

When cleaning up a site like a former dry cleaner, DEC prioritizes the protection of public health by working closely with partners at DOH to eliminate any potential exposure pathways. DEC then determines the appropriate cleanup that will be fully protective of the environment and the community.

Fortunately, there are no observed or known exposures to the contaminants associated with the Former Melrose Dry Cleaners site. The documented site-related chemical contamination is not in an area where anyone can touch, breathe, or drink it. Groundwater at the site is not used as a public water supply and prior investigations by DEC and DOH indicate that soil contamination is not present at the site and is no longer an environmental concern. 

Investigations identified the approximate extent of groundwater and soil vapor contamination and efforts are underway by DEC to address and prevent community impacts.

DEC and DOH are evaluating the potential for soil vapor intrusion, a process where contaminants in groundwater vaporize and move through soil to impact indoor air quality in a building, similar to how radon gas enters buildings. Prior investigations indicate that soil vapor intrusion (SVI) is not occurring in the area adjacent to the former dry cleaner. The potential for SVI was observed in only one building, the NYPD Police Service Area 7 building, and treatment (Sub-Slab Depressurization System) was proactively installed as a precautionary measure to ensure indoor air quality is protected.

Additional outreach by DEC and DOH is ongoing to obtain access to test indoor air of certain buildings within the groundwater plume by conducting a vapor intrusion evaluation during the home heating season when data is best collected. For questions or to arrange indoor air quality testing of a property identified as needing further investigation, please contact Alan Wong via email [email protected] or by phone (518) 402-9643.

Additional Information/Resources

Cleanup status and next steps

• English (PDF)

Community Engagement

DEC remains committed to keeping the public informed about updates regarding the cleanup of the Former Melrose Dry Cleaners site. DEC finalized an Enhanced Community Engagement Plan (ECEP) for the Former Melrose Dry Cleaners site and distributed the plan in August 2024. The ECEP is a roadmap to resources and information regarding the impacted site, ongoing cleanup work or investigations, and project activities that may generate public interest or questions. Past outreach included distribution of fact sheets and newsletters, and public meeting and availability sessions. There will be an upcoming public availability session in spring 2025. Details for the session will be provided when available.

While each State Superfund site has its own citizen’s participation plan, this ECEP was developed in response to heightened community interest about the site and its offsite impacts, a broad desire expressed by the community to learn more about the site and cleanup, and the proximity of the site to disadvantaged communities disproportionately affected by pollution’s impacts.

Two document repositories were established at the following locations:

Woodstock Library
761 East 160th Street
Bronx, NY 10456

Bronx Community Board 1 
3024 Third Avenue
Bronx, NY 10455

The ECEP, fact sheets and notifications are also available in Spanish and French.

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