9/12/2005 OWNER/OPERATOR INFORMATION SHEET

Reducing from: Dry Cleaning Operations

Why should my dry cleaning cleaners, dangerous releases of toxic operation prevent air pollution? air pollutants can occur if a dry People who are exposed to toxic air cleaner does not operate in Could your family pollutants at sufficient concentrations, compliance with regulations. be affected? for sufficient durations, may increase • used in dry their chances of getting cancer or cleaning operations can release some experiencing other serious health effects, toxic air pollutants and volatile In the United States, such as reproductive problems, birth organic compounds (VOC). about 70% of all dry defects, and aggravated asthma. Chemicals in these substances can cleaners use Pollution prevention safeguards the react in the air to form ground-level perchloroethylene, a health of your employees, customers, ozone (smog), which has been linked known toxic air pollutant, and families by using materials, to a number of respiratory effects. as the cleaning . processes, or practices that reduce or eliminate air pollution at the source. For How can I reduce air pollution — International Fabricare Institute example, ensuring proper drying time from my dry cleaning operation? minimizes air pollution. Pollution prevention practices also Lower Emissions at the Source save money on waste disposal, solvent • Check hoses, couplings, pumps, usage, and the cost of air pollution valves, and gaskets frequently for

controls. leaks. Use a halogenated leak

You may already be regulated by detector to help identify leaks. These federal, state, local, and Tribal agencies detectors usually cost about $250. and may already voluntarily implement • Repair leaks promptly. pollution prevention practices. However, • Allow drying cycle to complete A dry cleaner can reduce increasing pollution prevention efforts before opening the door. “Short perchloroethylene use by can further minimize impacts on human cycling” reduces the effectiveness of 70% by converting from health and the environment. solvent recovery equipment and transfer equipment to a increases fugitive emissions of closed-loop dry-to-dry Why should I be concerned about solvents from the machine. air pollution from my dry cleaning system. For a typical dry • Replace cartridge filters with spin operation? cleaner, this would result disk filters that can be cleaned • The main source of toxic air in a savings of about without opening. pollutants from dry cleaners is the $1,100 per year. • Cover containers of solvents to solvent used in the cleaning process. reduce solvent loss from evaporation — Washington State The most commonly used solvents and fugitive emissions of toxic air Departmentof are perchloroethylene and petroleum pollutants and VOC. This reduces Ecology solvents. worker exposure and releases of • Perchloroethylene is a known toxic these pollutants to the outside air. air pollutant. While federal, state, • Prevent spills by dispensing materials local, and Tribal regulations limit the with spigots and pumps. amount of emissions from dry

An on-site distillation unit may recover as much as 90% of solvents used. This reduces solvent purchases and disposal costs. — U.S. EPA

OWNER/OPERATOR INFORMATION SHEET 9/12/2005 Dry Cleaning Operations

Modify Processes • -based cleaning machines do not contain • Reduce process vent emissions by using a closed- any toxic air pollutants or VOC and are odorless loop dry-to-dry machine with a refrigerated and affordable. condenser. The addition of a carbon adsorber can further reduce emissions by recovering solvents. Why should I consider changing processes? • Load the machine properly. Overloading reduces the Changing your dry cleaning process to upgrade effectiveness of solvent recovery equipment. equipment, or switching to alternative garment Underloading makes less efficient use of the solvent. cleaning processes, can be relatively inexpensive and • Recover solvents from filter cartridges by draining can result in cost savings and dramatic pollution the filters for 24 hours in the filter housing to capture reduction. Case studies show that replacing transfer additional solvent before disposal. equipment, or converting to closed-loop machines, • Install spill containment structures under and around can save up to 70% of your perchloroethylene use and your dry cleaning machine. pay back the investment in as little as 3 years. • Evaluate investment in a closed-loop dry-to-dry machine or other innovative cleaning technologies. What else can I do to reduce air pollution? Compare initial costs with savings, over time, in Your community may already have groups working lower raw material and hazardous disposal costs. for cleaner air. Your expertise and knowledge can be very helpful to these groups. Recycle Materials Many pollution prevention offices offer free on-site • Install equipment, such as refrigerated condensers, to assessments for interested businesses. A list of these recover solvent from the dry cleaning process. small business assistance programs can be found at www.epa.gov/smallbusiness. This site provides Change Technologies information about assistance and technical help, • Change to technologies such as , liquid environmental experts, environmental regulations and laws, funding, and cost-saving opportunities. CO2, and silicone-based cleaning machines. Sponsor employee awards for good ideas, great • Wet cleaning processes use and to efforts, and dedication to pollution prevention. For clean clothes that typically require dry cleaning. example, you could provide a cash award for workers • Liquid CO technology is non-toxic, non- 2 who implement a work practice that reduces both combustible, and does not contribute to toxic air costs and pollution. pollutant and VOC emissions.

The Cleaner Technologies Substitute Assessment for Professional Fabricare Processes is a technical report that presents relative risk, cost, and performance information on existing and new cleaning technologies.

— U.S. EPA Design for the Environment

By switching to a petroleum-based dry cleaning machine, a Maine dry cleaner reduced its waste by 90% and its operating costs by $10,000. Its solvent consumption dropped from 800 gallons per year to 200 gallons per year.

— Maine Department of Environmental Protection

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OWNER/OPERATOR INFORMATION SHEET 9/12/2005 Dry Cleaning Operations

Resources

• International Fabricare Institute: www.ifi.org, (800) 638-2627

• International Dry Cleaners Congress: www.idcnews.org Could your family be affected? • Neighborhood Cleaners Association: www.nca-i.com

• Community-Based Projects: www.epa.gov/air/toxicair/community.html The Indiana 5-Star Environmental Program • EPA Air Toxics Web Site: www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/ for Dry Cleaners is a voluntary program that • National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Dry Cleaners: ranks participating dry www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/dryperc/dryclpg.html

cleaners on a scale of • Dry Cleaning Industry Sector Notebook: www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/ one to five stars. The publications/assistance/sectors/notebooks/dry.html program recognizes those dry cleaners willing to do • Indiana 5-Star Environmental Recognition Program for Dry Cleaners: www.in.gov/ more for the environment idem/ctap/cleaners/5stindex.html and worker safety than • Fact sheet: www.cdphe.state.co.us/el/Documents/DryClean/4DCFactSht.pdf the rules require. Many

shops have found this to • Dry Cleaning in the 90s: www.iwrc.org/pubs/dc.pdf be a very beneficial advertising and marketing • Waste minimization: www.state.hi.us/health/environmental/compliance/sb_library/ tool. drycleanwastemin.pdf

— Indiana Office of Pollution U.S. EPA Design for the Environment Prevention and Technical • Garment and Care Partnership: www.epa.gov/oppt/dfe/projects/garment/ Assistance index.htm • Case study: www.epa.gov/oppt/dfe/pubs/garment/wsgc/wetclean.pdf • Training curriculum: www.epa.gov/oppt/dfe/pubs/garment/tech_rep/clothes.pdf

Guides A refrigerated condenser • Pollution prevention guide: www.dnrec.state.de.us/DREC/p2/DryClean.htm can reduce emissions • Pollution Prevention Dry Cleaning Operations: Pinellas County Department of En- vironmental Management, Pinellas County, Florida: www.pinellascounty.org/ from transfer machines by Environment/pagesHTML/PollutionPrevent/p2r2PDFs/mangmentPDFIndustry/ 85% and from dry-to-dry DrycleanBooklet.pdf, 727-464-4761 machines by 95%. Also, • Dry Cleaning Guide: www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0104018.pdf replacing transfer • Pressing Concerns: A Complete Guidebook to Environmental Compliance for Colo- equipment or converting rado Dry Cleaners: www.cdphe.state.co.us/el/ecac/dcguide/ Dry_Cleaner_Guidebook.html to closed-loop machines • A Guide for Perc Dry Cleaners: www.state.hi.us/health/environmental/compliance/ can reduce sb_library/dryclean_perc_guide.pdf perchloroethylene use by up to 80% and pay back Toxicity of Solvents the investment in as little • Integrated Risk Information Systems (IRIS): www.epa.gov/iris as 3 years. • Air Toxics Health Effects Notebooks: www.epa.gov/ttn/hapindex.html

— Hawaii Department of Health

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