Is dry cleaning all wet
Chemical solvents from dry cleaning, particularly perchloroethylene (perc), have contributed to groundwater contamination, significant levels of air pollution in and around cleaners, and chemical accumulation in food. Questions are being raised about the process of cleaning clothes with chemical, and other less toxic cleaning methods are being explored. The EPA has focused attention on the 50 year old Friedburg method of cleaning, Ecoclean, which uses no dangerous chemicals and achieves comparable results. Unfortunately, the cleaning industry is resistant to change, so cutting back on amount of clothes that need dry cleaning and making sure labels aren't exaggerating when they say dry clean only, is frequently the only consumer option now.
- OSTI ID:
- 6237959
- Journal Information:
- World Watch; (United States), Vol. 6:3; ISSN 0896-0615
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Perchloroethylene exposure assessment among dry cleaning workers
Alternatives to perchloroethylene-based garment care: Assessing the viability of professional wet cleaning. Final report
Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
CLOTHING
CLEANING
SOLVENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
AIR POLLUTION
CONTAMINATION
FOOD
INDUSTRY
PERCHLORATES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety