Testing found elevated levels of tetrachloroethylene/perchloroethylene (PCE or Perc) in soil vapors around the Dison’s Cleaners and Launderers site in Rochester. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has announced plans to add the site to the Minnesota Permanent List of Priorities (PLP). Adding this site to the PLP allows MPCA to continue evaluation and cleanup work at the site.
The PCE contamination came from the Dison’s Cleaners and Launderers that used PCE at the site from 1950 to 2019. The contamination was discovered in 2013. The property was sold and the owners enrolled in the MPCA’s Superfund program in 2016 as a Cooperative Responsible Party (CRP). A CRP conducts investigations and performs cleanup with MPCA oversight.
The MPCA has been involved in the site since 2016 and required the owner to conduct investigation and cleanup work. The owner completed a soil vapor investigation in 2019 under MPCA oversight and installed a vapor mitigation system in 2020. In 2021, the MPCA determined that the testing needed to confirm the system’s effectiveness was incomplete and required the owners to do additional testing.
When the owner stopped addressing the contamination in 2020, the MPCA took steps to protect human health and the environment. The MPCA conducted soil vapor testing around the source building in 2021 and again from 2024 to 2025 to assess whether the vapors are migrating into nearby buildings. The results indicate the need for off-site soil vapor investigations to further assess potential risks to adjacent buildings.
The MPCA continues to communicate with nearby residents and businesses about the ongoing work. A shallow bedrock aquifer lies under the site and falls within a vulnerable drinking water management area. The PCE concentration in groundwater is unknown.
Provide comments
We invite you to comment on the proposed listing of the Dison’s Cleaners and Launderers site on the Minnesota Permanent List of Priorities (PLP). Comment period ends Jan. 15, 2026.
Health and environmental concerns
Vapor intrusion, or the movement of contaminated soil vapors into indoor air, is the primary health concern at the site. PCE vapors can rise through soil and enter homes or buildings through cracks in basements and foundations, where people can inhale them. This process is known as vapor intrusion. Soil vapor levels near the site exceed health-based values set by the MPCA and Minnesota Department of Health.
The possible adverse health effects from breathing PCE depend on the amount in the air and how long people breathe it. For more information regarding health risks and vapor intrusion, visit the Minnesota Department of Health website.
Long-term PCE exposure is associated with adverse health effects and may cause cancer.
Location
The site is a 1.2-acre parcel located at 214 Broadway Ave. N. in Rochester. A commercial building occupies the site.
Our role
After the site is added to the Minnesota PLP, MPCA staff will determine the extent of contamination in the soil, soil vapor, and groundwater, and address risks to human health and the environment.