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Replacing PERC with safer alternatives in dry cleaning

Replacing PERC with safer alternatives in dry cleaning . Steve Whittaker Local Hazardous Waste Management Program Public Health – Seattle & King County. Outline. History of dry cleaning Dry cleaning solvents The problem with PERC An industry in crisis What is LHWMP doing?

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Replacing PERC with safer alternatives in dry cleaning

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  1. Replacing PERC with safer alternatives in dry cleaning Steve Whittaker Local Hazardous Waste Management Program Public Health – Seattle & King County

  2. Outline • History of dry cleaning • Dry cleaning solvents • The problem with PERC • An industry in crisis • What is LHWMP doing? • What else could be done?

  3. Evolution of Dry Cleaning Solvents Pre 1960s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s • Liquid CO2 • High-flashhydrocarbons • Siloxane • Glycol ethers • 1-bp • Water! • Kerosene • Turpentine • Naptha • Benzene • Stoddard • Carbon tet. • TCE PERC use peaks PERC introduced California: PERC phase-out Acetal (Solvon K4)

  4. Nothing cleans like PERC Chemical Formula: C2Cl4 PERC (tetrachloroethylene) – 69% Hydrocarbons – 21% Solvon K4 Liquid CO2 Liquid silicone Wet cleaning (water) Glycol ethers 1-bromopropane (!) Source: LHWMP, 2011

  5. PERC = DNAPL PERC Adapted from: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Adapted from: Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College.

  6. Redmond, WA Groundwater2006-2010

  7. Redmond, WA - 2011 259 x 0.57 = 148 ppm

  8. Redmond, WA - 2011 > 1000 ppm PERC (maxed out!)

  9. Age of dry cleaning machines Expected lifespan ? <1 Source: LHWMP, 2011

  10. ~36,000 current dry cleaning facilities in the U.S. • ~75% contaminated with PERC • Median cleanup cost: $230,000 • Range: $29,000 - $2,000,000 Source: SCRD Drycleaner Site Profiles database, April 29, 2014

  11. King County, WA: • ~200 dry cleaners • ~140 using PERC • ~50 dry cleaners on Ecology’s Confirmed & Suspected Contaminated Sites List

  12. Cleanup Alternatives: 1—$11,327,000 2—$10,260,000 3—$16,822,000 Troy LaundrySeattle

  13. PERC Harms People! • 2014 EPA review (verified by NAS): • likely to be carcinogenic to humans • toxic to the CNS, kidney, liver, immune system, and hematologic system. • adverse effects on embryonic development and reproduction. • Grandjean & Landrigan (2014): • PERC is a developmental neurotoxicant • Meta-Analysis of Dry-Cleaning-Worker Studies: • increased risk of bladder cancer in dry cleaners Guyton et al. (2014). Environ Health Perspect; DOI:10.1289/ehp.1307359 Grandjean& Landrigan (2014). The Lancet Neurology, 13(3), 330-338. Vlaanderen et al. (2014). Environ Health Perspect; DOI:10.1289/ehp.1307055

  14. PERC Kills Fish! LC50 = 5 mg/L • Juvenile rainbow trout LC50: • WA Dangerous Waste @ 100 mg/L • WA Extremely Hazardous Waste @ 10 mg/L Source: EPA ECOTOX database

  15. A PERCfect Storm • Cultural and language barriers • Lack of knowledge of health effects • Incorrect information from vendors • Little interaction with OSHA • Confusion about waste management • Changing regulatory requirements • Economically-challenged industry

  16. What is LHWMP doing? • Technical assistance & EnviroStars certification • Research into alternatives • Interagency Resource for Achieving Cooperation (IRAC): education/outreach • “Mega vouchers” to replace equipment • Three $20K awards in 2013 • Four $15K awards in 2014 • Substantial Improvement Reimbursements: $500 - $2500 • Regular vouchers - up to $500 for 50% of costs

  17. What else could be done? • Goals: • Reduce exposure/health disparities • Minimize impacts on struggling businesses • Multi-agency public/private strategy: • Incentivize conversion from PERC • Private and public financial incentives • Regulatory flexibility • Culturally appropriate technical guidance • Rigorous safer alternatives assessment

  18. www.lhwmp.org/home/Health/drycleaners.aspx

  19. Acknowledgements • LHWMP interns: • - ChantrelleJohanson • - Cody Cullison • - Jessie Taylor • City of Redmond: • - Amanda Balzer • LHWMP staff: • Alice Chapman • Trevor Fernandes • Ryan Kellogg • Debra Oliver • Sharon Schoenfeld-Cohen • Laurel Tomchick • Linda van Hooser

  20. Greenwashing? No more 5-star EnviroStar PERC users “It is very frustrating to see PERC dry cleaners promoting their 5 star EnviroStar status, it confuses customers into thinking PERC is environmentally friendly… I am frustrated that I paid a premium to build a "true" PERC free business and there is no support to promote our efforts.”

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