

That figure doesn’t even include the larger number of former operations.

When the dry cleaning operator doesn’t have the insurance or assets to pay for the cleanup, the property owner often is liable, with costs that easily can exceed the equity in a retail center.Īpproximately 35,000 retail dry cleaners operate in the United States, according to the Silver Spring, Maryland-based International Fabricare Institute (IFI). Cleaning up dry cleaning solvent that has contaminated groundwater aquifers can cost millions of dollars. While environmental contamination often is associated with industrial sites, dry cleaners-a staple of retail centers-sometimes have their own dirty laundry to air. Niche properties Cleaning Up After Dry Cleaners New Environmental Insurance Products and Other Solutions Help Make Contaminated Retail Properties Viable.
