By Marti Russell
In March, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) held a hearing
in San Francisco, CA, to review the proposed amendments to the drycleaning
regulations.
The newly suggested regulations all passed unanimously by the Board of
Supervisors. However, the board promptly wants to amend some of them.
Here is what passed.
• N-propyl-bromide (nPB, aka DrySolv) will be treated as toxic as perc under same
guidelines as perc.
• Prohibit spotting agents with perc, trichloroethylene, or nPB on the board.
• Incorporate new solvents to Regulation 8-17: high flash point hydrocarbons
(DF200, Exxon; glycol ethers (Rynex); volatile methylated siloxanes
(GreenEarth).
• Require new closed loop design for alternative solvent machines.
• Require equipment registration for machines exempt from permit requirements.
• Establish permit fees of $125 for each cleaner to re-coup administration fees.
• Lower the existing permit exemption level for non-halogenated solvent
drycleaning facilities from 700 gallons to 200 gallons per year gross usage.
• As of July 1, 2009 manufacturers, allied trades and supply houses will be
prohibited from buying spotting agents with halogenated solutions.
• As of July 1, 2010, all cleaners must stop using spotting agents with
halogenated solutions on their spotting boards. Information on alternative
spotting formulations is available from the Institute for Research and
Technical Assistance web site, www.irta.us. IRTA’s quarterly newsletter is also available for download from the site.
• Additional requirements to the state Air Toxics Control Measure (ATCM) rulews calling for a spare set of
extra gaskets for button trap, water separator, front door, still door and site
glass, plus keep extra cartridges and lint filters on hand.
• All water repelling must be completed inside the closed-loop machine. No
chemical induced water repelling can be done externally. If using water
repelling sprays in the form of a aerosol can or tank/canister, the water
repelling treatment must be water based.
Future actions
In addition to the passed proposed amendments, the Board of Supervisors directed
Brian Bateman, director of engineering, and his staff to look into several
concerns and report back to the board.
On April 1 the BAAQMD staff met to discuss suggestions from the board at the
drycleaning focus workshop. Those include the following:
• The board feels the timeframe of 15 years to use a perc drycleaning unit is too
long. Staff was directed to come up with a shorter time to stop using perc
machines and is suggesting 10 years.
• The city of Danville has banned perc cleaners. The board wants BAAQMD staff to
look into how the city accomplished this.
• Look into the quantity of co-residential perc users and shorten the length of
time they can use their machines before the July 1, 2010 timeline begins.
• The industry needs to be trained more on wetcleaning and CO2 usage and accept
them as alternatives.
• Information on the spotting agents that have been banned needs to get out to the
chemical manufacturers, suppliers, allied trades, and distributors; maybe
through the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute, California Cleaners Association
and Korean drycleaners associations.
Staff was told after the hearing that they have six months to report back to the
board with findings.
The next meeting will be in early May when the BAAQMD staff will disclose some
timeframes to discuss for elimination of both co-residential and older
drycleaning machines.
BAAQMD staff hopes to address the board’s recommendations between July and September 2009.
Discussions taking place strongly suggest to lobbying the entire Board of
Supervisors concerning drycleaners’ current plight and economic status.
Marti Russell is the western sales manager for EnviroForensics and has been
involved in the drycleaning industry for over 40 years as a plant owner and
trade association official. She can be reached at (925) 362-4706 or by e-mail
at mrussell@enviroforensics.com. The EnviroForensics web site is
www.enviroforensic.com; readers are invited to visit and register for the blog.
