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Cleaning Up Dry Cleaning
Arthur Stamoulis
 In a move that experts
predict will be replicated elsewhere, southern California has instituted
the nation's first-ever ban on a dry cleaning chemical known to adversely
affect the nervous system and suspected as a human carcinogen.
Widely used by dry cleaners across the country, perchloroethylene, or perc, is valued as a solvent that can dissolve fatty and oily substances on clothes, as well as degrease metal machinery in a wide number of industries. But those who work with the chemical also know that breathing it in can cause dizziness, confusion and headaches. Studies have also shown it can damage the liver and kidneys, and cause cancer in laboratory animals.
Regulators in Los Angeles, where the ban is set to take place, make particular note of the fact that perc is one of the most common airborne pollutants in the city, with approximately 850 tons released into the air each year.
Recognizing that most dry cleaning operations have invested heavily in machines that can only use perc, the L.A. ban is being phased in gradually over a very long timeframe. Beginning in 2003, dry cleaning companies will not be allowed to install new machines that rely on perc. The total ban on old machines will not go into effect until the year 2020, although emission-cutting regulations will be implemented as early as late 2007. The new regulation also provides $2 million in funding to help small businesses upgrade their operations to use safer technology.
Chemical companies such as Dow Chemical and PPG Industries have opposed the ban.
Consumers interested in dry cleaning operations that do not use perc
should look for laundry operations that offer "wet cleaning" as well
as just dry cleaning. Some of the businesses listed at TravelOrganic.com
may be a good starting point.
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