![]() ![]() As the newer generations of machines were introduced, the amount of PERC used was reduced from 300 to 500 g-PERC/kilogram of fabrics (1st generation) to 100 ppm for machine operators. Since then, various pollution prevention controls have been implemented through the subsequent generations, culminating in the latest 5th generation machines, which are closed-loop and equipped with refrigerated condensers, carbon absorbers, inductive fans, and sensor-actuated lockout devices ( 1, 4– 6). The 1st generation machines were “transfer machines,” where cleaned fabrics were manually transferred from the washer to a dryer. To comply with environmental regulations, dry cleaning machines have evolved through several “generations” to minimize PERC release. Beginning in the 1940s, PERC-also known as tetrachloroethylene or PCE-became the most frequently used dry cleaning solvent ( 1, 2) and continues to be the primary solvent used to dry clean fabrics both in the US ( 3) and the European Union (EU) ( 4). The dry cleaning industry first introduced Stoddard solvent (less flammable than gasoline) followed by several nonflammable halogenated solvents, such as carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene (TCE), trichlorotrifluoroethane, and perchloroethylene (PERC). However, the use of highly flammable petroleum solvents caused many fires and explosions, highlighting the need to find a safer alternative. In the 1900s, the US started using specialized machines for the dry cleaning process. The first dry cleaning operations in the United States (US) date back to the 1800s when people washed fabrics in open tubs with solvents such as gasoline, kerosene, benzene, turpentine, and petroleum and then hung to dry. Introduction Dry Cleaning and the Use of Perchloroethyleneĭry cleaning uses non-aqueous solvents to clean fabrics ( 1). ![]() Implications for future public health research and policy are discussed: (1) we must move away from PERC, (2) any transition must account for the economic instability and cultural aspects of the people who work in the industry, (3) legacy contamination must be addressed even after safer alternatives are adopted, and (4) evaluations of PERC alternatives are needed to determine their implications for the long-term health and sustainability of the people who work in the industry. This review describes the issues surrounding the use of PERC and alternative solvents for dry cleaning while highlighting the lessons learned from a local government program that transitioned PERC dry cleaners to the safest current alternative: professional wet cleaning. However, the potential for these alternatives to harm human health and the environment is not well-understood. Some local and state programs are also requiring or facilitating transitions to alternative cleaning technologies. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which amended the Toxic Substances Control Act (amended TSCA), and has mandated that PERC dry cleaning machines be removed from residential buildings. The Environmental Protection Agency is evaluating PERC under the Frank R. PERC is a reproductive toxicant, neurotoxicant, potential human carcinogen, and a persistent environmental pollutant. Perchloroethylene (PERC) is the most common solvent used for dry cleaning in the United States. 3National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Respiratory Health Division, Field Studies Branch, Morgantown, WV, United States.2Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County, Seattle, WA, United States.1Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States.Janulewicz 1, Eun Gyung Lee 3 and Stephen G. ![]()
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