United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Industrial Environmental Research
Laboratory
Cincinnati OH 45268
Research and Development
EPA-625/S10-81-002 Oct. 1981
Project Summary
Environmental Regulations and
Technology: The Dry Cleaning
Industry
S. J. Lutz, N. J. Kulujian, and R. J. Turner
This document reports current and
proposed Federal pollution control
regulations that will affect the dry
cleaning industry and describes
several techniques that dry cleaning
facilities can use to comply with these
regulations. The report examines
Federal, state, and local regulations in
the four areas that may affect dry
cleaners—air quality, water quality,
solid wastes, and worker protection.
The report discusses control technol-
ogies and costs for reducing hydro-
carbon emissions for the three solvent
systems: perchloroethylene (pare),
petroleum distillate (specifically
Stoddard solvent), and fluorocarbon
(specifically F-113).
This Project Summary was develop-
ed by EPA's Center for Environmental
Research Information and the Indus-
trial Environmental Research Labora-
tory. Cincinnati, OH, to announce key
findings of the research project that is
fully documented in a separate report
of the same title (see Project Report
ordering information at back).
Introduction
The purpose of the Project Report is to
discuss the current and proposed
Federal pollution control regulations
that will affect the dry cleaning industry
and describe several techniques that
dry cleaning facilities can use to comply
with these regulations.
Federal regulations are being set by
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) for air, water and solid
waste and by the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) for
worker protection. Most state and local
regulations are similar to those set by
EPA and OSHA. In some cases,
however, state and local regulations
may be more stringent.
The Project Report examines Federal,
state, and local regulations in the four
areas that may affect dry cleaners—air
quality, water quality, solid wastes, and
worker protection—and includes the
following discussions:
• Methods available to dry cleaners
for complying with existing and
proposed regulations,
• Control technologies for reducing
hydrocarbon emissions for the
three solvent systems: perchloro-
ethylene (perc), petroleum distil-
late (specifically Stoddard solvent),
and fluorocarbon (specifically F-
113), and
• Costs of applying these technol-
ogies.
Air
Regulations
EPA is developing New Source
Performance Standards (NSPS) for new
dry cleaning facilities. In December
1979, EPA published a control tech-
niques guideline (CTG) document to
assist states in developing regulations
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for existing perc sources. Currently, the
Agency is studying techniques for con-
trolling emissions from other dry clean-
ing solvents.
Methods of Compliance
Requirements for reducing perc dry
cleaning emissions are similar under
the proposed NSPS and the state
regulations, based on the CTG. All dry
cleaners would be required to follow
good maintenance and housekeeping
practices and to minimize filter, still, and
muck cooker residues. Further, profes-
sional cleaners would have to install a
carbon adsorber or equivalent control
system to collect emissions from the
dryer or dry-to-dry machine exhaust.
It is expected that a future CTG for
petroleum plants will recommend good
housekeeping and maintenance and
good extraction techniques. Possible
control techniques include carbon
adsorption, petroleum recovery
tumblers, incineration, and muck strip-
ping (a technique for processing filter
muck to recover solvent).
Emission Control Technology
Carbon adsorption is a demonstrated
control technology for both perc and
Stoddard solvent dry cleaning systems.
A water-cooled condenser system simi-
lar to the reclaiming dryers used by most
perc dry cleaning plants has been
developed recently for petroleum
plants. Both carbon adsorption and con-
densation systems are capable of
reducing dryer emissions by over 90
percent. Other available control tech-
niques include muck stripping and
incineration for petroleum plants and
good housekeeping and maintenance
practices and solvent waste treatment
methods for all three solvents.
Costs
The use of carbon adsorption or a
condenser system on a dryer produces a
credit for the solvent recoverable and
may even provide a net profit (negative
annualized control cost). For perc sol-
vent, the capital cost for a condensation
system on a 50 pound (23 kilogram)
dryer may be higher than that of a
similarly sized carbon adsorber.
Operating costs for a condensation
system are less than for the carbon
adsorber. For petroleum solvent, the
annual and capital costs of carbon
adsorption are considered too great for
wide acceptance of this technology at
this time. The condensation system
typically produces a net credit; capital
costs are much less and it is apparently
as safe as conventional (uncontrolled)
dryers to operate.
Water
Regulations
The dry cleaning industry was com-
bined with eight other industries under
the classification, "Auto and Other
Laundries." A technical support docu-
ment was prepared by EPA in August
1979, as the basis for developing efflu-
ent guidelines for the industry.
Methods of Compliance
Dry cleaning effluent concentrations
are low compared with laundries, carpet
and upholstery cleaners, and car
washes. If EPA establishes water regu-
lations in the future, treatment proces-
ses will also be identified that will
enable the dry cleaning industry to
comply with them.
Solid Wastes
Regulations
Current and planned Federal regula-
tions for solid waste based on the
Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act of 1976, will control major sources
of hazardous wastes. Size cutoffs
anticipated for these regulations will
likely exempt all butthe larger industrial
dry cleaners from having to control the
amount of solvent requiring storage,
transport and disposal of residues.
Method of Compliance
The waste products can be controlled
by incineration or by reclaiming solvent
from the waste material. Incineration is
feasible for petroleum solvent still
wastes, which may be disposed of in
incinerators designed for this com-
pound or burned as an auxiliary fuel in
an existing steam boiler. Perc is not
flammable; thus, incineration is not an
alternative.
Worker Protection
Regulations
The National Institute for Occupa-
tional Safety and Health (NIOSH) pro-
vides recommendations to OSHA for
setting standards to control health
hazards in the workplace. The current
OSHA rules and regulations on dry
cleaning solvent vapors have not
changed since their original publication
in the early 1970's. Table 1 shows
occupational exposure limits for each o
the three solvents, but these standards
could change as more information
becomes available on health effects.
Methods of Compliance
Proper work practices in the routine
handling and use of perc should ensure
compliance with employee exposure
standards. Because petroleum solvent
dry cleaning plants are designated Class
II and Class III fire hazards by the
National Fire Protection Association, all
cleaning room equipment must be
explosion proof. Safety codes indicate
that room air should be changed every
two to three minutes. A properly de-
signed ventilation system can exhaust
fluorocarbon solvent vapors from the
work area.
The information contained in the
Project Report provides the dry cleaning
plant operators; consultants; and state,
Federal and local agencies with a
detailed summary of the regulations
currently applicable to the dry cleaning
industry.
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rable 1. OSHA Standards for Occupational Exposure to Dry Cleaning Solvents
Concentration (ppmj
Standard Perchloroethytene Petroleum Fluorocarbon
Threshold limit value (no
effects below this level)*
Maximal 8-h time-weighted
average
Maximal concentration.
100
100
200
100
500
NA
1,000
1.000
NA
general
Maximal 5-min concentra- 300 NA NA
tion (allowed once each 3 hi
'American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygiemsts
NA not applicable
SOURCE Laundry Cleaning Council, "The Safe Handling ofPerchloroethylene Drycleaning Solvent," Chicago,
IL, Laundry-Cleaning Council, 1980
S. J. Lutz is with TRW, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, N. J. Kulujian(also ,
the EPA Project Officer, see below), is with the Center for Environmental
Research Information, and R. J. Turner is with the Industrial Environmental
Research Laboratory, USEPA, Cincinnati, OH 45268.
The complete report, entitled "Environmental Regulations and Technology: The
Dry Cleaning Industry," (Order No, PB 81-235 384; Cost: $3.50, subject to
change) will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Center for Environmental Research Information
U.S, Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, OH 45268
US GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, 1981 —757-012/7362
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