Flash Cleaners is a half-acre former dry-cleaning property in Pompano Beach, Florida. It operated as a dry cleaner from 1977 to 2001 and as a laundry pickup and drop-off station through 2013. Improper discharge of dry-cleaning wastewater to an on-site septic tank contaminated soil and groundwater beneath the building and in nearby Lighthouse Point. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in September 2008 and selected a cleanup plan in September 2010.
The EPA identified nine contaminants of concern in soil and groundwater. These include vinyl chloride, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, trans-1,2-dichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, and trichloroethene. All contaminants are located in Operable Unit 1, the designated cleanup area.
Between 2010 and 2011, crews excavated 700 cubic yards of contaminated soil and disposed of it at an approved landfill. Workers also installed a soil vapor extraction system to treat soil beneath the building and injected organic material into groundwater to speed up natural contaminant breakdown. The vapor extraction system was removed after contaminant levels dropped below cleanup goals. Since March 2023, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has taken over operation and maintenance of the groundwater remedial action. The EPA placed a lien on the property to recover cleanup costs after recovering nothing from the potentially responsible party.
Human exposure to contaminants is currently under control. Nearby residents and businesses use the public water system for drinking water. The EPA tested private irrigation wells in the area and notified owners of any risks. Soil gas sampling at seven residential properties and a nearby condominium in January 2011 found volatile organic compounds below detection levels, so vapor intrusion into nearby buildings is not a threat. Institutional controls restrict groundwater contact and prevent incompatible land uses, such as residential development, until cleanup is finished. A Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Use determination was completed in February 2015. The next five-year review is estimated for 2026.
Community members can get involved by contacting EPA staff directly. The EPA held public meetings and door-to-door outreach between 2008 and 2012, and conducted community interviews in late 2015 for the first five-year review. Public records related to the site are available at the Lighthouse Point Library at 2200 Northeast 38th Street, Lighthouse Point, Florida 33064.
