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Should EPA ban perchloroethylene at drycleaners?
By Thomas C. Davis Jr | April 17, 2009
Author: Jon Anderson 
You can see Jon’s articles on Jon’s Home Page.
Should EPA ban perchloroethylene at all drycleaners? The Bush Administration imposed rules in 2006 that regulated the emissions of large dry cleaners and ban “perc” use in residential building by 2023. Perchloroethylene is a cancer causing hazardous air pollutant that has been known of for several years. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has banned all use of perc by 2020 in California. The question is, should EPA now ban all use of perc or just in mixed use buildings?
The national environmental group, Sierra Club, has long argued that all perc use needs banning. The Obama Administration concurs. Recently EPA filed Court papers to re-open the issue and determine whether uses of perc needs banning by 2023. The preponderance of evidence is that EPA will wins its court case and ban perc totally.
There are two alternatives to using perc in dry cleaning, one is the so called “wet wash” and the other is liquid cleanser derived from recycled carbon dioxide. The availability of market available technologies to replace perc safely seems to argue for a quicker phase out of perc. According to EPA, the cleaning industry reduced its annual air emissions of perchloroethylene from 1996 to 2006 by replacing older equipment with newer, more efficient equipment, thus reducing air borne leaks. Since the industry trade group the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute says the new equipment was expensive and lasts 15 years, they need a longer phase out time period. This seems realistic, given the past reductions.
No word on whether the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute will appeal if the rules are applied nationwide in a permanent ban. There are no cases yet resolved under the Obama Administration in the Courts to determine if the legacy Bush Administration judges will overturn Bush-era EPA rules and programs. No doubt several environmental issues will only get resolution from the Supreme Court, unless Congress and Obama have success on the economy and health care reform, then tackle energy, transportation and the environment. Look for a follow-up article trying to explain the intricacies, budgets and politics of Federal and State agencies when it comes to transportation, energy and the environment.
There will be more transportation funding under Obama and energy, clean energy and oil independence is also a top priority. The Clean Air Act, last amended under President George Bush in 1990 needs amending again. The 1990 amendments made great progress in clean air. A new amendment would clarify to EPA and the Courts how to interpret several different environmental laws that lapsed in the last 14 years under the Republican Congress, including Superfund.
Unfortunately, time is the biggest enemy of the environment and biggest asset to industry because of the quicker economic impact and the longer health effect impact. Depending on success and the agenda of legislation the remainder of the year under Obama and the Democratic Congress, environmental legislation is directly impacted. Look to see EPA, industry and environmental advocacy groups hash out environmental issues extensively before, and even if, Congress can re-authorize Federal environmental legislation to clarify direction.
Topics: Environment, General |
April 17th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Interesting read, Jon. I have been a Liquid CO2 drycleaner in San Diego for 8 years, first on the West Coast and one of the first worldwide. As we all know, Liquid Carbon Dioxide is the only truly environmentally friendly drycleaning alternative. Those interested, can check findco2.com for operators nearby. Wetcleaning is something we do, and in fact most drycleaners do, but it is not drycleaning. Works great when waterside soil removal is needed and/or fabric will not react adversely in water. We currently process 20% or so on wetside, but by far CO2 drycleaning is best, assuming you can locate one. Beware the “banner environmentalists”, who’s methods are environmentally friendly because they’ve purchased banners to proclaim themselves green.
Gordon Shaw
Hangers Cleaners
San Diego
*** ALERT! Whenever I see the terms “only” “truly” and advocate for a means of their own remuneration, red flags go up all along the watchtower. The first thing that tells me is we are dealing with a closed mind. The second is that there is a partisan interest and when those two things are combined we have a failure of truth.
Truth flourishes in open environmnets where the light can always get in and needs not worry about maintaining a bank account for sustenance. Truth needs not eat to be strong, it merely is on its own volition. The moment anyone detracts any facet of truth or any fiber of its vigor truth withers into a “well documented fact” and from there is contorted into presumption.
Perc itself is the best dry cleaning solvent since water found a worthy advesary. The real problem is the fools that do the cleaning and how they handled it.
We wouldn’t have modern electric houses without the prosperity of PCB’s - those deadly little carcinogens that we all would like to see banned likewise but again, the problem was in how we handled them. Don’t badmouth the substances so much as the people that are the real cause of the problem. LIke guns are not the issue but people that pull the trigger. We can’t fix the people so wew ban the guns but to keep opn blaming the guns is to deny the - - oh boy, here it comes - - the truth.
What we really need is stricter standards before we allow fools to run freely with the poisons and say they are safe and environmentally friendly - speak of which, I hear they use some strong V.O.C. detergents with CO2 cleaning since the CO2 has no KB factor to speak of?? But I am sure they’re safe, right?
For my money, the only -there’s that word - one real way to clean, with good ole mother nature’s water. ‘nouf said.
April 25th, 2009 at 11:32 am
In the Organic Era ,Frugal Living is natural. When the age of excess ended,real economy has come back . We are all no new one to mud colour ,dull colour , calm colour ,non exciting colour or poisoion.
We enjoy them any colour we enjoy when young.At that time nobody taught us like designers this colour is wrong,that colour is right.It need this bright that shine. Where the worng and right came it came from some designers who are trying to fool all women all the time. People became cause for viewing bright bright colours at any cost it must be bright in colour. It can hurt eyes ,poison earth no matter . When we all were evolving we did this mistake of accepting bright as need. We do not require it anymore ,it is the age of real economy .
But how to teach people mud is the organic natural .
Nature will teach people and they are ready to accept if industrialist with vested goal for money do not want to push them up against wall.
What we lost we have to hunt/search only there, however dark it is. White vinegar and food grade apple syrup will clean 33% . In certain items of apparel they will accept.
Take the intimate garments . They all can be VOC ,DETERGENTS WITH CO2 free . Organic is the herb solution .
In the 2nd millanium we do not bother we as were new , now in 3 rd millanium we are fed up with .
Youths need only shift perpective, can do easier than we think .
This way step by step we can get to truth ,no use holding the tail . People are the cause they can solve it. But the Industralist must leave the gate open start example. Organic washing powder is already in the market only people have mind set .
Financial econony collapse is not enough,Mother earth in hospital is not enough to teach people their due lessons. Relearn refresh is coming ,let us be hopeful.
Wait, more will come with bang then all chemical dianocers will get finally be wiped out.
March 30th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
I’ve enjoyed reading these types of blogs. Fascinating stuff! Solar energy has always been a fascination with me.