Dry Cleaning Leak Leaves Giant Plume of Chemicals in Groundwater Beneath Virginia Community

More than a decade ago, a Virginia dry cleaning business stopped using a potentially hazardous chemical after learning of a leak, but an environmental impact report has just been released.

Residents of Fairlington Glen, an Arlington community of about 350 condos and town homes, didn’t learn about the giant plume of chemicals in the groundwater under their homes.

“For a while they thought it was just right there, and then in checking they realized it had started to migrate,” Arlington County Board member Libby Garvey said. “And it took them a while to get permission and follow and go into Fairlington to start to map it out.”

The biggest threat from the chemicals is inhalation — if vapors somehow seep into homes much like radon gas can.

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