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Moraine residents press EPA over potentially carcinogenic vapors

Potentially carcinogenic plume from old GM plant prompts concern.

Moraine residents to learn more tonight about pollution near former GM plant

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By Lawrence Budd, Staff Writer Updated 10:33 PM Tuesday, August 30, 2011

MORAINE — Residents of a neighborhood contaminated with potentially carcinogenic vapors migrated from a former General Motors plant pressed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Tuesday for answers about the health risks and other problems.

“We have waited this long breathing in these chemicals. Nothing has been done,” resident Shari Steele said during a meeting Tuesday at the Moraine Civic Center.

In May, EPA met with residents for the first time about action planned to vent the vapors from homes in the Riverview neighborhood, across Dryden Road from the GM Moraine Assembly plant.

Vapors from de-greasing solvents migrated southwest from a former oil house building at the plant GM shut down in December 2008. The contaminated plume is just west of Springboro Pike and east of Dryden Road on the former plant site.

Tests have already detected the vapors in 26 homes in Riverview. Only 38 of 60 residents have consented to testing.

At Tuesday’s meeting, U.S. EPA officials encouraged the rest of the residents to sign access agreements allowing testing required before systems can be installed to remove the vapors.

Resident Shirley Whitt said testing several months ago detected vapors in her home and holes were drilled in her home in preparation for the remediation system.

“I even moved my freezer,” Whitt said. “I never heard another word.”

In addition to health problems, residents questioned how this would affect their property values and the ability to sell their homes.

Within two weeks, project manager Mirtha Capiro said a work plan would be in place for installation of the systems, which remove 99 percent of the vapor.

Officials said test results indicate vapor levels found to cause cancer one in 1,000 to one in 10,000 population.

However these standards are based on exposure for 24 hours a day for 30 years, said Mark Case, director of Environmental Health, Public Health-Dayton & Montgomery County.

“Not a lot is known about long term,” Case added.

Expenses for remediation are to be paid by Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response Trust, a group formed to handle environmental issues at the plants.

It will take at least 10 years to remove the plume feeding the vapors found in the Riverview homes, officials said.

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