National Clothesline

Perc makers committed to drycleaning

To the Editor:

Your May 2012 article entitled “Perc users should study alternatives” (National Clothesline, May 2012) quotes DLI’s Jon Meijer as saying “I’m not convinced that perc producers will continue to sell perc to this [drycleaning] market.”

The manufacturers of perchloroethylene, or perc, that currently supply drycleaners strongly disagree with these comments and are fully committed to continuing to support the drycleaning market as long as there is a market. Mr. Meijer has not spoken to any of the manufacturers of perchloroethylene about their intent to be long-term suppliers to the drycleaning industry and has no basis to question their commitment.

Perc has been extensively tested and studied and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its comprehensive Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment on February 10, 2012. Mr. Meijer calling this assessment the “final dagger” for perc shows that he is uninformed. Perc was classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 1995. EPA has regulated perc on the basis of potential carcinogenicity even longer than that. The only significant change made by the assessment is to lower the cancer potency factor for perc, thus indicating less hazard than EPA previously assumed.

Moreover, EPA stated in releasing the new assessment that “EPA does not believe that having your clothes drycleaned with perc will result in an increased risk for adverse health effects.” This should be recognized as good news for the industry. The IRIS report should certainly not drive any drycleaner away from the use of perc.

Mr. Meijer suggests that there is consumer and environmental pressure not to use perc. I would argue that consumers are more interested in receiving high quality drycleaning than understanding what method is used to clean their clothes. When regulatory attention is focused on alternatives not currently regulated, such as n-propyl bromide or siloxanes, the active ingredient in GreenEarth (for which EPA has announced it will conduct an IRIS assessment in 2013), loyal perc drycleaners will be glad they did not follow Mr. Meijer’s ill-conceived advice. Perc drycleaning is the subject of a comprehensive and mature regulatory framework at the federal level, and there is no indication that EPA is moving toward expanding the prohibition in the current NESHAP on existing perc machines after 2020 beyond residential facilities.

Mr. Meijer states that perc faces regulatory challenges at the state and local levels, and points to New Jersey and Illinois as examples. It is unbelievable that someone representing DLI would not have an accurate picture of activities on perc at the state level. The State of New Jersey has yet to release a final regulation but the proposed regulation does not ban perc. Rather, it promotes good product stewardship and only prohibits perc in co-located residential buildings and near sensitive receptors. HSIA actually hired a firm in New Jersey to help develop the proposed regulations. HSIA, the National Cleaners Association and the local Korean drycleaners sat at the table with regulators — where was DLI? In Illinois, legislation has yet to pass the state legislature after having failed to be approved during the last legislative session.

In closing, let me state once again that the manufacturers of perc who currently support this application are fully committed to continuing to supply the 70 percent of drycleaners that use perc as long as it is their solvent of choice.

Faye Graul

Executive Director

Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance

DLI committed to choices for cleaners

To the Editor:

Faye Graul shared HSIA’s comments regarding my presentation at the recent Southwest Drycleaners Show. Alternative solvents have been the focal point of state, regional, and national industry trade shows for more than 10 years and I suspect the topic will be given even more weight in the future.

DLI’s position on perc is well known as we have been in the forefront of the perc issue since the 1970s and will continue to fight for cleaners using perc in the future. We, too, recognize that a significant portion of the industry uses perc. Perc has excellent cleaning capabilities, and as with any other solvent can be used safely with today’s existing regulations and equipment technologies. DLI’s overall position — that drycleaners looking at new equipment should explore alternative cleaning technologies — is a position that we have held for some time.

Ms. Graul took exception with my opinion as to the support from the manufacturers of perc for the industry. I am pleased that the producers of perc solvent are committed to supporting the drycleaning market as long as there is a market. When Ms. Graul met with DLI a few years ago, just after the spike in solvent prices, she was noncommittal when asked about the continued availability of perc to the industry and whether or not we will continue to see perc prices climb.

Ms. Graul correctly stated, “EPA does not believe that having your clothes drycleaned with perc will result in an increased risk for adverse health effects.” This is good news, but will it alleviate the consumer or media pressure that we know exists? Will there be no more state or local regulatory initiatives that will tighten up on existing perc standards? Or will California “unban” perc use (new installations by 2008, all installations by 2023) as a result of the recent Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment?

There is in fact a reality where DLI must look at the big picture and into the future in order to provide our members with the best advice we can based on the best information available. What is important is that the industry continues the fight for drycleaners to continue to use perc. There is no stronger supporter for the use of perc than DLI and we will continue to fight for fair and reasonable regulations that keep drycleaners in business while still being able to use the solvent or any solvent of their choice.

Jon Meijer

Director of Membership

Drycleaning and Laundry Institute