Alternatives to perchloroethylene-based garment care: Assessing the viability of professional wet cleaning. Final report

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:642841

Gottlieb, R; Sinsheimer, P; Goodheart, J; Tranby, C; Bechtel, L

The report analyzes the viability of Cleaner by Nature, a 100% professional wet cleaner, and whether professional wet cleaning represents a viable pollution prevention approach in eliminating perchloroethylene (PCE), a chemical solvent used in dry cleaning. The analysis includes a comprehensive plant level case study, and comparative performance, financial, and environmental assessments of wet cleaning and PCE-based dry cleaning. The major issues associated with the viability analyses were identified and specific information was collected in relation to how the clothes were cleaned (a customer garment profile, a problem garment analysis, a technical evaluation or repeat clean test, a wearer survey, and customer satisfaction surveys); how wet cleaning did financially (a start-up cost analysis and a profit/loss analysis); what environmental impacts were identified (water, energy, and chemical inputs and outputs); and what contributing factors (technology changes, garment manufacturing and labeling, and regulator or legislative actions) influence the viability of professional wet cleaning.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Pollution Prevention Education and Research Center, Los Angeles, CA (United States); California State Air Resources Board, Research Div., Sacramento, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: California State Air Resources Board, Sacramento, CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 642841
• Report Number(s): PB--98-153679/XAB; CNN: Contract CARB-94-315
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS