fashion n trends

Dry cleaning is a profession around since the 1930s. Mom and pop shops professionally cleaned clothes with a solvent called perchloroethylene (PERC). Since that time, more has been found out about this chemical that contains chlorine and now on the list of hazardous toxins. Its use can be attributed to 18% of the overall usage, nationwide.

There are numerous environmental and human health hazards associated with PERC. Without adequate ventilation, serious harm to multiple organs can result. PERC can damage multiple organs if aspirated into the lungs and if exposure occurs, dizziness, loss of balance and coordination as well as symptoms mimicking anesthesia are possible. Acute exposure may lead to death. When tested on animals, it has proven deadly to fetuses as well as to the expectant mom.

Well-documented environmental damage can occur if PERC is released into the environment. It can rapidly contaminate water and soil if released and prove toxic to aquatic life. California became the first state to ban it in 2007, stating that any newly formed businesses may not install equipment that uses PERC. In 2011, the US EPA approved this ban.

An alternative to the process that uses PERC is called wet cleaning. Instead of using the hazardous chemical as the solvent, water is used. The process is transforming the industry back to the early days. Wet cleaning was the traditional method of dry cleaners to wash clothes starting in the 1930s. As PERC came onto the market, it replaced water as the preferred solvent. A multitude of environmental and human health hazards followed and now almost 80 years later, the US government is working to phase out the deadly chemical.

Since this process requires more of a hands-on approach to finishing the garment, more labor costs are required. However, more and more people are seeking this type of alternative, given the hazards of the traditional process.

Despite PERC being classified as a hazardous chemical and a known human carcinogen, it is still being manufactured by companies such as The Dow Chemical Company and used in most of the dry cleaners across the country. Like many dangerous practices and products, it requires a great deal of energy to reverse the trend and successfully eliminate this problem in the dry cleaning industry.