vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Dry-Cleaning Sector Regulatory Update
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working to reduce releases
of chemicals from small businesses. This bulletin highlights pollution
prevention opportunities to increase the compliance, success and
competitiveness of your business. Pollution prevention strategies, which
include using environmentally friendly products and practices, can
reduce the risk of improper chemical management, limit your liability,
save money and increase worker and customer satisfaction. Even though
perchloroethylene (PERC) has been used for decades as the dry-cleaning
solvent of choice, several safer alternatives are available including water
via professional wet cleaning.
The 2008 National Perchloroethylene Air Emission Standards for Dry-
Cleaning Facilities requires a phase-out of PERC machines co-located
with residential buildings by 2020. The rule also requires all dry cleaners
to implement controls on PERC emissions, including:
Elimination of transfer machines.
Use of leak detection equipment.
Leak repair.
Record-keeping.
For dry cleaners installed on or after Dec. 9,1991, use of carbon
absorbers and refrigerated condensers.
However, these requirements can be avoided if PERC is not used.
There were more than 21,000 dry-cleaning operations in the U.S. according
to the Census Bureau in 2015. While most dry cleaners only use small
amounts of PERC annually, the large number of dry cleaners across the
country that use PERC could have a cumulative impact on the
environment.
Hazards
Exposure to PERC can impact your workers, business personnel, nearby
residents and the environment when released to air, water, land or
groundwater. Health effects of PERC include:
•	Skin, eye and respiratory irritation.
•	Nervous system effects such as headaches, dizziness and impaired
coordination.
•	Liver and kidney damage.
•	Likely human carcinogen.
A Success Story
All Fabric Cleaners (AFC)
Farmingville, NY
Conversion from PERC to Wet Cleaning
AFC used PERC for 15 years but
wanted a healthier environment for
their employees and cleaner customer
garments than possible using PERC.
AFC was looking for a "competitive
advantage."
AFC was selected by the New York
State Pollution Prevention Institute's
(NYSP2I) Wet Cleaning Conversion
Program, which was funded by
NYSDEC and U.S. EPA Region 2 grants.
The new wet cleaning system was
installed in 2011 and the old PERC
system was removed in 2012.
Since the conversion, quality increased
and AFC reported a 93 percent
reduction in send-outs, do-overs and
customer claims. More garments
were cleaned in a shorter time, which
resulted in a 36 percent increase in
efficiency, total annual cost savings
of $9,732, and higher satisfaction among
employees and customers.
AFC also saw:
•	A 42% reduction in electricity use.
•	Total elimination of PERC.
•	An 802-pound reduction in
hazardous waste (100%)anda
980-pound reduction in PERC air
pollution (100%).
Best of all, AFC no longer requires
a NYSDEC permit.
In addition, solvents, other chemicals, fugitive dust and lint can impact
air quality if proper health and safety practices are not followed. Poor
management of chemicals, some of which are hazardous, may harm our
lakes, streams, groundwater and drinking water through see page into the soil and runoff to storm-water drains.
Improved management of these chemicals can also save you money.
References and Resources:
CDC: Control of Exposure to PERC in Commercial Drycleaning: www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/hazardcontrol/hcl6.html
EPA: P2 Resources for Business: www.epa.gov/p2/p2-resources-business
Toxics Use Reduction Institute at UMass Lowell: www.turi.org/Our_Work/Business/Small_Businesses/Dry_Cleaning
February 2019
Region 5

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Spot Cleaning Alternatives
The perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene (TCE) used in textile cleaning are both listed as hazardous
waste under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). If dry cleaners stop using PERC
or TCE as cleaning and spotting agents, their waste streams may not be classified as hazardous waste,
and workers and consumers are not exposed to PERC or TCE while spotting or wearing garments.
Fortunately, it is possible to possible to switch to other cleaners. EPA and the California Department of
Toxic Substances Control sponsored a project, conducted by the Institute for Research and Technical
Assistance (IRTA), that tested, developed and demonstrated low-VOC, low-toxicity alternatives to PERC
and TCE. Paint, oil and grease spotting agent alternatives proved to be as effective and less expensive
than PERC and TCE. The alternative spotting agents were used in facilities that have hydrocarbon, Green
Earth, carbon dioxide and water-based cleaning processes.
The California Department of Health Services Hazard Evaluation System & Information Service assisted
IRTA in evaluating the toxicity of the alternative spotting agents based on their Material Safety Data
Sheets. The findings indicate the alternatives are lower in toxicity than PERC or TCE spotting chemicals.
This project demonstrates that there are a variety of effective cleaners that could be used as
alternatives to PERC and TCE spotting agents in the textile cleaning industry. These include water-based
cleaners, soy-based cleaners, glycol ethers, acetone, oxalic acid and blends of these cleaners.
Alternative Spotting Agents That Performed Effectively
Spotting Agent
Type of Material
Cold Plus
Water-Based Cleaner
Mirachem NP 2520
Water-Based Cleaner
Soy Gold 2500
Methyl Ester and Surfactants
DPM
Glycol Ether
90% Soy Gold 2500/10% Acetone
Blend
90% Soy Gold 2500/10% DPM
Blend
90% DPM/10% Acetone
Blend
Deprit Professional
Oxalic Acid Based/Non-Chlorinated Hydrocarbons
Spotting Chemicals: Alternatives to PERC and TCE in the Textile Cleaning Industry www.irta.us/reports.html
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Please share your own success stories with the EPA Pollution Prevention Program. Tell us what
problem or challenge your small business faced, what steps you took to overcome it and how or
why it resulted in a successful outcome. Provide details like the ones you see in this bulletin
that explain how your actions resulted in cost savings, operating efficiency improvements, or
other measurable benefits.
If you are interested, your story could be featured in our next bulletin to serve as an example for other
small businesses. For more information on how you can submit your success story, visit:
www.epa.gov/p2/forms/contact-us-about-pollution-prevention.

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