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Dry Cleaning Sector

Pollution Prevention

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working to reduce releases of toxics from small businesses during
extreme weather events (e.g., flooding and storm surge events). This bulletin highlights pollution prevention
opportunities for increasing the success, competitiveness, and overall resilience of your business. Pollution
prevention strategies which include the use of environmentally friendly products and practices, can reduce the
risk of improper chemical management, limit liability, save money and increase worker and customer satisfaction.

Did You Know?

Solvents, other chemicals, and fugitive dust and/or 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 even drinking water via
run off to storm water drains. Managing these chemicals better can
also save you money.

Perchloroethylene or "PERC" is a precursor to ground level ozone which
is a powerful antioxidant that can irritate the lungs. Exposure to PERC
can occur to your workers, businesses, or nearby residents, and to the
environment following releases to air, water, land, or groundwater. The
July 13, 2006 final air toxic rules requires a phase-out of PERC machines
collocated in residential buildings by 2020.

PERC has several health risks, such as:

•	Skin, eye, and respiratory irritation;

•	Nervous system effects such as headaches, dizziness, and
impaired coordination;

•	Damage to liver and kidneys;

•	A likelihood of causing cancer1

There are more than 30,000 dry cleaning operations in the U.S. and
about 85% use PERC as the primary cleaning solvent. Though most dry
cleaners use less than 140 gallons of PERC per year, the cumulative
impact from these numerous facilities is significant.2

1NEWMOA: http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/proiects/wetclean/about.cfm
2CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/hazardcontrol/hcl6.html

Additional Information:

EPA P2 - What You Can Do About Pollution Prevention - Business Resources:

http://www.epa.gov/p2/what-you-can-do-about-pollution-prevention-business-

resources

EPA DfE: http://infohouse.p2ric.org/ref/51/50050.pdf

NJDEP Dry Cleaning: http://www.nj.gov/dep/enforcement/drycleanergrant.html
NYS Pollution Prevention Institute: http://www.rit.edu/affiliate/nysp2i/professional-
wet-cleaning-program

UMassTURI: http://www.turi.org/our_work/business/small_businesses/dry_cleaning
UCLA: http://stpp.ucla.edu/node/382

International Drvcleaners Congress: www.idcgroup.org

National Controlled Cleaners Association: http://www.ncca.co.za/

The North East Fabricare Association: http://www.nefabricare.com/

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 its employees and wanted to
clean many of its customers' garments better than
what PERC could attain. AFC was looking for that
"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 USEPA 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
had a 93% reduction in send-outs, re-dos and
claims. More garments were cleaned in shorter
time and resulted in a 36% increase in efficiency,
total annual cost savings of $9,732, and both
employees and customers were pleased.

AFC also saw:

•	A 42% reduction in electricity use

•	A100% elimination of PERC

•	A 802 lb reduction in hazardous waste
(100%) and a 980 lb reduction in PERC
air pollution (100%).

Perhaps best of all, AFC no longer required a
NYSDEC permit.

CREDITS

Special thanks to the New York State Pollution
Prevention Institute for providing the "All
Fabric Cleaners" case study information.

DCS-004: 12-10-15


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Dry Cleaning Insights

Housekeeping and Maintenance

Process Control



Clean lint screens which can also extend the life of the dry
cleaning machines.

Consider investing in a PERC vapor detector to detect leaks.

Bulky items take longer to dry. Make sure they completely
finish drying instead of letting them dry outside the machine.
If you are using a transfer dry cleaning system, then do not
open the washer until the items can immediately be put into
the dryer.

Schedule color fabric items from light to dark.

Use less hazardous spot removing.

Spills and Prevention

The cracks in floors should be sealed and coated with
materials impervious to PERC and petroleum solvents.
Size garment loads per machine guidelines which can also
save water.

Equipment and Technology

Minimize the time that machine doors and button traps are
kept open.

Run a vent line from the water separator through a water
trap to prevent evaporation of solvents.

Do not let solvent return temperatures reach above 90°F
when running the distillation system to prevent solvent loss.
Consider converting to a closed loop dry-to-dry system which
can reduce solvent use and waste.

A refrigerated condenser is an alternative to carbon absorber
PERC trap which can reduce the generation of contaminated
separator water.

Meeting Customer Demands

V

• Consider switching to wet cleaning as customers seek ways
to be more environmentally friendly.

>

Invitation

You are invited to share your own success stories with the EPA Pollution Prevention and Climate
Change Section!

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 successes.

Your story could be featured in our next bulletin to serve as an example for other small businesses.

For more information and to find out how YOU can submit your success story, send an e-mail to us
at: Reeion2 PollutionPrevention@epa.eov. visit our P2 site at: http://www.epa.gov/p2 or contact
Region 2 EPA P2 at: http://www.epa.eov/p2/forms/contact-us-about-pollution-prevention

Special thanks to:

The Washington State
Department of Ecology for
providing "Insights" information.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/program
s/hwtr/p2/sectors/drysectl.html

USEPA Region 2,

Serving New Jersey, New York,
Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands.

SEPA

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

MOTION


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