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

Moraine residents press EPA over potentially carcinogenic vapors

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By Lawrence Budd, Staff Writer Updated 3:11 PM Tuesday, August 30, 2011

MORAINE — Environmental officials are meeting tonight with Moraine residents about the status of testing and remediation of contamination around the former General Motors site off Dryden Road.

Volatile organic compounds from old degreasing solvents used to clean auto parts have contaminated the ground in some places creating vapors in homes in the Riverview neighborhood across Dryden Road, according to environmental officials.

“They’ve told us they’ve found levels higher than acceptable in some homes,” said City Manager Dave Hicks.

Tonight officials hope to convince more Riverview residents to allow access to their homes for testing, said Mark Case, director of Environmental Health, Public Health-Dayton & Montgomery County.

Hazards increase when the vapors, trapped beneath homes and other buildings, seep into living spaces, Case said.

“They’re something that should not be in a home in a vapor,” he said.

So far tests have shown some levels above one additional hypothetical cancer case for 100,000 population, Case said.

“At that level we don’t expect to see any short-term, acute health effects,” he said, “not a lot is known about long-term.”

In homes where vapors are detected at sufficient levels, radon detection units with small fans are installed free of charge. Stipends are provided for the electricity costs, Case said.

No drinking water has been contaminated, officials said.

Remnants of the solvents migrated southwest from a former oil house building at the plant GM shut down in December 2008, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The contaminated plume is just west of Springboro Pike and east of Dryden Road.

After years of testing, EPA officials met for the first time last year with residents.

“Some of the residents are pretty upset,” Hicks said.

The meeting begins at 6 tonight at the Moraine Civic Center, 3050 Kreitzer Road. For information, call (937) 535-1000.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2261 or lbudd@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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