Workers at Idexx in Westbrook are getting their cars detailed courtesy of Calpine Corp., after that company’s neighboring power plant rained steel rust in an unplanned emission.
Calpine officials say maintenance work on the power plants earlier this month left a residue of rust that was emitted to the air on a rainy day earlier this month. The mixture fell on cars belonging to workers at the plant and to workers at Idexx, nearby veterinary medicine company.
“Unfortunately a little bit of the rust was left and went up the exhaust stack and about 300 cars were affected, and we are in the process of arranging to have all of those cars professionally detailed to make sure everything is put back the way it should be,” says John Flumerfelt, a spokesman for Calpine.
Flumerfelt says the detailing service includes car pickups and return, and the company is budgeting $300,000 for the goodwill gesture.
Samples of the material are being tested, but Flumerfelt says initial analysis shows it is not toxic.