Hung Out To Dry
How the Use of Perchloroethylene in Dry Cleaning Endangers You
and Your Family's Health

> Press Release    > Full Report

Most Americans are unaware that over 85 percent of the more than 35,000 dry cleaners operating in the United States use a dangerous chemical called percholorethylene (perc), which poses a significant health risk to humans and the environment. Perc is identified by international, national and state health and regulatory agencies as a “possible” or “probable” human carcinogen. Perc exposure is an unnecessary risk to our communities and the environment. Successful non-toxic alternatives exist and just as effective as perc at cleaning delicate garments. By phasing out the use of perc, and phasing in proven non-toxic alternatives like wet-cleaning or liquid carbon dioxide, federal and state governments would be adopting a pollution prevention strategy that could eliminate this national public health threat. This report hopes to educate current and future consumers, decision makers and other interested parties about the substantial health risks associated with the continued use of perc in the American garment care industry, to provide a brief discussion of the alternatives to perc, and to provide policy recommendations that will help us eliminate this unnecessary risk.

Update: After this report was released, the Coalition for Clean Air sponsored landmark legislation that helps dry cleaners in California phase out toxic chemicals and transition to safer cleaning processes. AB 998 was signed into law in fall 2003. Read this article to learn more.

Contents

• Report Highlights
• Introduction
• Brief History of Perc Use in Dry Cleaning Operations
• Perc Use is an Environmental Justice Issue
• Sources of Perc Exposure
• Impacts of Perc Use on Human Health and the Environment
  > Non-cancer Health Risks
  > Cancer Health Risks
• The Non-Toxic Alternatives to Perc
  > Wet-Cleaning
  > Liquid Carbon Dioxide
• Alternatives that Require More Thought
  > Siloxanes
  > Hydrocarbon Solvents
• What You Can do in Your Neighborhood
• Policy Recommendations
• Appendix A – Wet Cleaner Locations in Southern California