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EPA's Design for the
Environment Program
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;AEROSRACE
EPA, through its Design for the
Environment (DfE) Program, is
working with a variety of
industries—from dry cleaners to
printers to metal platers—to
encourage the design of safer
processes and products by
eliminating or minimizing
pollution. DfE conducts
collaborative studies and shares
research with government
agencies, industry groups,
public interest groups,
universities, and others.
The overall mission of DfE is to
cultivate pollution prevention
strategies that integrate both
environmental and economic
objectives. In this way, a critical
link can be forged between the
need to protect the environment
and the need for economic
productivity.
DRY GLEANING
ELECTRONICS
METAL" PLATING
PRINTING;
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fie Concerned About Dry Cleaning?
ry cleaners use solvents to remove dirt and
stains from fabric. Perchloroethylene,
commonly known as "perc," is a toxic
solvent used by most dry cleaners. Perc is
designated as a hazardous air pollutant
under the federal Clean Air Act. Because
of health and environmental concerns associated
with the use of perc, DfE is exploring different
technologies that may prove to be viable
alternatives for some dry cleaners.
PHOTO- TOOD'S YOUR ANSWER. LTD.
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How Does Dry Cleaning Work?
Inspect gar-
ments for plains
arid pretreat if
necessary:*,;
Clean and dry
garments; recy-
cle solvent ;-;
Remove stains
Press and finish
ry cleaning is similar to home
laundering except that clothes are
washed in solvents instead of soap
and water. Dry cleaning avoids
saturating fabrics with water. This is
significant because certain fabrics (like
silk, wool, and rayon) can shrink or be
otherwise damaged if immersed in water.
• Before garments are dry cleaned, they are
.inspected and sorted into dark and light
loads. Stained or heavily soiled garments
are pretreated.
H The garments are then cleaned in a
machine that contains a solvent, a small
amount of detergent, and typically a sizing
agent. During cleaning, this solution is
continuously circulated through a filter.
The filter removes any dye that has bled
from the garments and any soil that will
not dissolve in the solution. The garments
are then tumbled in hot air to recover any
solvent that remains in the clothing. Dry
cleaners recycle spent solvent so that it
can be used again in the cleaning process.
B The garments are then removed from the
machine and inspected for any remaining
stains. If present, these stains are removed.
• Lastly, the garments are "finished" by
steaming and pressing. •
Used filters and cleaning residues contain
solvent and are considered hazardous waste.
These should be disposed of according to
applicable regulations.
-------
ulti process wet
cleaning is a method
for hand cleaning
clothes that uses soaps
and a controlled
application of water. It
is called "multiprocess" because
a number of different steps can
be included in the cleaning
process, depending on the type
of fabric and the type of spots,
stains, or soil to be removed.
Unlike dry cleaning, where nearly
every garment receives a
standard treatment, in
multiprocess wet cleaning, the
treatment is customized for each
garment.
A cleaning technician inspects
every incoming garment for dirt
and stains. The technician then
determines which cleaning
techniques should be applied.
Typically, a combination of
techniques are used to clean a
single garment. Depending on
the garment, it is then either
tumble dried in a machine or
hung to dry.
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PHOTO, TODO'S YOUR ANSWER. LTD.
The cleaning techniques used in the process can be
grouped into four general categories:
• Concentrated Cleaning. A concentrated
cleaning solution is applied to very soiled
garments and heavy clothes (like raincoats and
down jackets). A wire brush might be used on
difficult stains. The garments are then hung to>
dry.
• Steaming. Garments with difficult stains, odors,
or soiling are subjected to extensive steaming,
spotting, and tumble drying.
B Handwashing. Delicate and washable fabrics
(those that will not be damaged by saturation in
water) are immersed in soapy water and gently
handwashed. These garments are then hung to
dry instead of being put in a dryer.
• Tumble Drying. Garments that are not stained
and simply need to be freshened are run through
a tumble dryer. A sheet of scented fabric softener
may be used.
After cleaning, all garments are pressed and
finished with the same equipment used by dry
cleaners.
Does Multiprocess Wet Cleaning Work?
In November and December of 1992, EPA, the
Neighborhood Cleaners' Association (NCA), the
International Fabricare Institute (IFI), the
Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute, and
EcoClean (the'commercial vendor of the wet
cleaning process) collaborated on a study to
measure the performance of the two technologies.
The study indicated that multiprocess wet cleaning
performed as well as or better than traditional dry
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cleaning. These promising findings are preliminary,
however, since the study was short-term and not
designed to collect certain types of data that will
help in fully measuring the effectiveness of the two
technologies.
|; Measuring Performance
I • ... "
f T-he Dry Cleaning Partnership conducted tests to measure the effectiveness
; of multiprocess wet cleaning and traditional dry cleaning:
Customer Satisfaction
In one test, the Partnership cleaned approximately 1,500 garments {belonging
to government employees who participated in the study) at the New York
. School of Dry Cleaning. Approximately half of the garments were randomly
chosen to be cleaned by multiprocess wet cleaning. The other half were dry
cleaned. Participants completed postcards to express their opinions about
the quality of the cleaning job performed on the garment; they did not know
which technology had been used to clean their garment. Garments cleaned
with multiprocess wet cleaning scored equal to or better than those that were
dry cleaned.
Performance Wear
In another test, 13 volunteers were given two identical garments. They wore
each garment for two days at a time, and then the garment was cleaned using
one of the two processes. Each garment was worn and cleaned three
times. The volunteers did not know which process had been used to clean
their garments. The purpose of the test was to help determine whether wear
would affect the performance of the two cleaning processes. After cleaning,
the volunteers evaluated the clothes for such factors as cleanliness, press
and finish, removal of stains and spots, and change in color of the cleaned
clothes. Volunteers judged the wet cleaned garments to be slightly better
than those that were dry cleaned.
The garments worn by the volunteers also were evaluated for overall appear-
ance, shrinkage, odor, color change, feel, and damage such as stretching or
pilling. The garments that were wet cleaned and dry cleaned generally
received similar scores; however, the wet cleaned garments received higher
marks for appearance and odor.
The results of the performance wear evaluation are preliminary due to such
factors as the short duration of the study, the limited quantity of data
gathered, and the wear and cleaning patterns of the test garments (which
may not be typical of normal consumer wear). These issues are being
addressed through additional research.
-------
tiprocess Wet Cleaning Cost?
sing information from dry cleaning experts
and from the 1992 demonstration project,
EPA compared the costs of dry cleaning
versus multiprocess wet cleaning. The
study was based on,a start-up, hypothetical
cleaning facility with an annual sales volume
of $260,000 ($5,000 per week).
Economic modeling indicated that the total annual
costs would be very similar for dedicated dry and
wet cleaning facilities. The higher labor costs
associated with the multiprocess wet cleaning
process would be offset by significantly lower costs
for equipment and supplies (see box below).
Another benefit of multiprocess wet cleaning is that
it does not entail hazardous waste disposal.
Annual Cost Comparison*
Dry Cleaning Wet Cleaning
Total Annual Costs
Labor
Equipment
$43,920
5,000
47,200
$43,880
15,500
540
t
*lt should be noted that this table presents only those costs that varied significantly
between the two processes; there'are other costs associated with both dry and wet
cleaning that are not listed above.
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Is Multiprocess Wet Cleaning Profitable?
she model also showed that new,
"dedicated" wet cleaning facilities
(those that do 100 percent wet
cleaning) can realize greater profits
and a higher return on investment
than dedicated dry cleaners. The
return on investment is estimated to be
26.3 percent for multiprocess wet
cleaning versus 14.8 percent for dry
cleaning.
New facilities that do a mix of wet and
dry cleaning can be as profitable as
dedicated dry cleaners, so long as wet
cleaning does not exceed 50 percent of
the cleaning volume. Beyond the
50-percent point, multiprocess wet
cleaning is still profitable, but profitability
declines because dry cleaning
equipment is being underutilized.
For facilities that are considering
retrofitting to do a mix of wet and dry
cleaning, the profitability scenario is not
as attractive. The more multiprocess wet
cleaning such facilities do, the more
underutilized their dry cleaning
equipment will be. If a facility replaces
its dry cleaning equipment and converts
to dedicated multiprocess wet cleaning,
however, it can be as profitable as a
new, dedicated multiprocess wet
cleaning facility.
$22,500
$20,000
$17,500 -
$15,000
20,400
21,400
100%
Dry Clean
50%Dry/
50% Wet
100%
Wet Clean
$22,500
$20,000
$17,500
$15,'QOO
21,400
20,400
100%
Dry Clean
50%OfY/
50% Wet
100%
Wet Clean
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Is the Future of
ultiprocess wet cleaning is a promising
technology. Initial studies indicate that it
is cost-effective and performs well. Most
importantly, the technology has the
potential to reduce the need for dry
cleaning solvents. More research is
needed, however, before any definitive conclusions
can be made about the future of multiprocess wet
cleaning in this country. These include:
€ Multiprocess wet cleaning is more labor-intensive
and less automated than dry cleaning.
E Care labeling rules might prevent the widespread
use of wet cleaning on garments that are labeled
"dry clean only."
s More research is needed to determine whether
the process cleans garments to an acceptable
level on a long-term basis.
m As with any promising technology, the potential
health and environmental risks associated with
the process must be analyzed.
EPA is planning a longer-term study to further
investigate the viability of multiprocess wet
cleaning and several other cleaning technologies.
The results of these studies will be published when
they become available.
8
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'he information being generated by the Dry
Cleaning Partnership can help dry cleaners
evaluate the health and environmental impacts
of their business decisions and consider, where
feasible, alternative ways of doing business.
This information can be especially important as
dry cleaners face the possibility of increased
regulation at the federal, state, and local levels. The
data the Partnership is
gathering can also
assist individual
consumers as they
make everyday
decisions about which
products to buy and
services to use.
PHOTO: NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANERS ASSOCIATION
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How Can I Get More Information?
3 or more information or to obtain a copy of
EPA's full report entitled Multiprocess Wet
! Cleaning: Cost and Performance Comparison
of Conventional Dry Cleaning and an
Alternative Process, write to the Pollution
Prevention Information Clearinghouse (PPIC),
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M
Street, SW. (3404), Washington, DC 20460, or call
202-260-1023 and request a copy of document
number EPA744-R-93-004.
The document also is available at a cost of
$12 from the Government Printing Office (GPO).
Call 202-783-3238 and ask for document number
EPA 744-R-093-004, or write to GPO, 732 North
Capitol Street, HE., Washington, DC 20401.
Contributors to EPA's Research on Pollution
Prevention in the Dry Cleaning Industry
The following organizations, companies, and government agencies contributed to EPA's study of
pollution prevention in the dry cleaning industry:
Amalgamated Clothing and Textile
Workers Union
Center For Neighborhood Technology
The Dow Chemical Company
Dryclean USA, Inc.
Dry Cleaners and Launderers Institute
of Ontario
EcoClean International, Inc.
Environment Canada
Fabricare Legislative and Regulatory
Educational Organization (FLARE)
Greenpeace
Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance
The International Fabricare Institute
The Massachusetts Toxics Use
Reduction Institute
The Neighborhood Cleaners Association
Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for
use by either the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or other firms, organizations, or individuals who have
participated in the preparation of this booklet.
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