National Clothesline

The California Air Resources Board could start the clock ticking on perc later this month when it considers a total phase-out of the drycleaning solvent in the state.

Under a proposal that will go before the air resources’ governing board at its January meeting, this year would be the last year in which a California drycleaner could buy a new perc machine. And any perc machine purchased this year would have a state-limited life-span of 15 years.

Existing perc equipment would also be phased out during this 15-year period. Perc machines at co-residential locations would have to be removed by July 1, 2010. That same deadline would apply to converted machines — vented equipment that has been modified to closed-loop — and to any other perc drycleaning machine that is at least 15 years old by that date. Any machine whose age can’t be determined would also have to be taken out at that time.

All other perc machines would be allowed to remain in operation until they become 15 years old. Thus, by Jan. 1, 2023, perc drycleaning would be extinct in the state of California.

The phase-out plan is the second try by the CARB staff to gain the governing board’s approval of amendments to the state’s 13-year-old Air Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) for drycleaning.

Last year the CARB staff offered a proposal that would have tightened regulations for perc dry-cleaners but allowed its continued use indefinitely in most situations. At a public hearing in May, the board rejected that plan and directed the staff to develop a complete phase-out plan. The new proposal will be considered as part of a two-day meeting of Air Resources Board in Sacramento, CA, beginning Jan. 25.

The transition from perc to alternatives is already well underway in California, according to CARB. The air board staff estimates there were 5,440 drycleaning machines in the state in 2003 with 84 percent of them using perc. By 2006 there were about 1,000 fewer perc machines; they accounted for 70 percent of 5,210 drycleaning machines operating in the state.

Of the non-perc alternatives, high-flash hydrocarbons have shown the most growth. CARB estimates there are now 1,100 such machines operating in the state, representing 21 percent of all machines and having a 70 percent market share among non-perc alternatives. That’s an increase of 460 machines from CARB’s 2003 survey.

Second on the list are GreenEarth systems with 190 machines, up from 90 three years ago. That represents a four percent market share overall and a 12 percent share of the alternatives market. Growth in water-based operations has been slower over the past three years, rising to 170 systems in 2006 from 150 in 2003, giving it a three percent market share overall and 11 percent of the alternative market.

The remaining two percent of the market is divided among liquid carbon dioxide, Rynex and other hydrocarbon formulations.

The substitution of hydrocarbon for perc systems was a concern expressed by CARB staff and some members of the governing board at last year’s hearing.

In its current report, the CARB staff says that while complete elimination of perc would stop three tons per day of perc emissions statewide, emissions of smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs) would increase due to wider use of hydrocarbon solvents. The effect of all perc facilities switching to hydrocarbon would be an increase of .7 tons per day in hydrocarbon emissions.

The CARB staff considers that a “significant issue” and offered the board the “possible alternative” of also prohibiting new machines that produce smog-forming emissions as well as phasing-out perc.

“This option would provide the maximum protection from emissions of perc while preventing an increase in VOC emissions,” the staff report said. However, it is not recommending that approach primarily because of cost, which would be 17 percent more than the proposed phase-out. CARB estimates that compliance costs of the new regulations at $41 million over 15 years. The typical perc facility owner would have to charge between 41 and 57 cents more per garment to recover the cost of buying new alternative drycleaning technology.

Other options that the staff is putting on the table but not recommending include an increased phase-out period, a shorter phase-out period and a plan that would require secondary add-on controls for all existing primary machines.

As it did last May, the CARB governing board will have the final say after it hears comments at the public hearing this month. The agenda for the meeting and other details about the proposal are available on the CARB web site, www.arb.ca.gov.


National Clothesline




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		The California Air Resources Board could start the clock ticking on perc later this month when it considers a total phase-out of the drycleaning solvent in the state. Under a proposal that will go before the air resources’ governing board at its January meeting, this year would be the last year in which a California drycleaner could buy a new perc machine. And any perc machine purchased this year would have a state-limited life-span of 15 years. Existing perc equipment would also be phased out during this 15-year period. Perc machines at co-residential locations would have to be removed by July 1, 2010. That same deadline would apply to converted machines — vented equipment that has been modified to closed-loop — and to any other perc drycleaning machine that is at least 15 years old by that date. Any machine whose age can’t be determined would also have to be taken out at that time. All other perc machines would be allowed to remain in operation until they become 15 years old. Thus, by Jan. 1, 2023, perc drycleaning would be extinct in the state of California. The phase-out plan is the second try by the CARB staff to gain the governing board’s approval of amendments to the state’s 13-year-old Air Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) for drycleaning. Last year the CARB staff offered a proposal that would have tightened regulations for perc dry-cleaners but allowed its continued use indefinitely in most situations. At a public hearing in May, the board rejected that plan and directed the staff to develop a complete phase-out plan. The new proposal will be considered as part of a two-day meeting of Air Resources Board in Sacramento, CA, beginning Jan. 25. The transition from perc to alternatives is already well underway in California, according to CARB. The air board staff estimates there were 5,440 drycleaning machines in the state in 2003 with 84 percent of them using perc. By 2006 there were about 1,000 fewer perc machines; they accounted for 70 percent of 5,210 drycleaning machines operating in the state. Of the non-perc alternatives, high-flash hydrocarbons have shown the most growth. CARB estimates there are now 1,100 such machines operating in the state, representing 21 percent of all machines and having a 70 percent market share among non-perc alternatives. That’s an increase of 460 machines from CARB’s 2003 survey. Second on the list are GreenEarth systems with 190 machines, up from 90 three years ago. That represents a four percent market share overall and a 12 percent share of the alternatives market. Growth in water-based operations has been slower over the past three years, rising to 170 systems in 2006 from 150 in 2003, giving it a three percent market share overall and 11 percent of the alternative market. The remaining two percent of the market is divided among liquid carbon dioxide, Rynex and other hydrocarbon formulations. The substitution of hydrocarbon for perc systems was a concern expressed by CARB staff and some members of the governing board at last year’s hearing. In its current report, the CARB staff says that while complete elimination of perc would stop three tons per day of perc emissions statewide, emissions of smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs) would increase due to wider use of hydrocarbon solvents. The effect of all perc facilities switching to hydrocarbon would be an increase of .7 tons per day in hydrocarbon emissions. The CARB staff considers that a “significant issue” and offered the board the “possible alternative” of also prohibiting new machines that produce smog-forming emissions as well as phasing-out perc. “This option would provide the maximum protection from emissions of perc while preventing an increase in VOC emissions,” the staff report said. However, it is not recommending that approach primarily because of cost, which would be 17 percent more than the proposed phase-out. CARB estimates that compliance costs of the new regulations at $41 million over 15 years. The typical perc facility owner would have to charge between 41 and 57 cents more per garment to recover the cost of buying new alternative drycleaning technology. Other options that the staff is putting on the table but not recommending include an increased phase-out period, a shorter phase-out period and a plan that would require secondary add-on controls for all existing primary machines. As it did last May, the CARB governing board will have the final say after it hears comments at the public hearing this month. The agenda for the meeting and other details about the proposal are available on the CARB web site, www.arb.ca.gov.