Greener Cleaner Chicago's Blog

Dry cleaning is a wet process, but not wet with water, wet with a chemical called PERC (perchloroethylene).  This chemical came into prominence in the 1930′s replacing petroleum based solvents that caused many cleaners to go up in flames.  In 1991 the state of California labeled PERC a toxic chemical and began its phase it out.  

The EPA has found PERC to be a human carcinogen. 

PERC has been found to cause damage to the nervous and reproductive systems, liver, and kidneys.PERC exposure can occur from contact with dry cleaned items but most frequently it can be found in the air and drinking water.  When the cleaning process
is completed it leaves behind cooked muck and sludge. For years there was no regulation of the dumping of these chemicals.  This led to PERC being dumped directly into sewer drains and other illogical dumping methods. Today, PERC cleaners are required by law to have their sludge and muck picked up to be disposed of.  Even so, PERC is still being released in the air and seeping into ground water.

Luckily there is an alternative and that alternative is Wet Cleaning.  Look in our next newsletter for an explanation of what Wet Cleaning is.

 For more information on Perc check this link:

http://www.health.state.ny.us/environmental/chemicals/tetrachloroethene/