Verdad Verde

By 2023 all of Californians’ clothes will be dry cleaned by green cleaners. In January 2007, California started the process of phasing out conventional dry cleaning by banning the commonly used chemical perchloroethylene (commonly known as “perc”). One of the reasons why California has banned perc is because “[t]here is some evidence of an association between perc and increased risk of certain cancers in dry cleaning workers exposed for many years.” The dangers of perc are nothing new, in fact, the EPA first started regulating perc as an air toxin in 1993.

However, what makes California’s legislation noteworthy is the fact that instead of continuing to regulate perc, California has outlawed its use altogether. This will force California’s dry cleaners to switch to alternative methods of dry cleaning clothes. Currently there are two main methods, wet cleaning and liquid carbon dioxide cleaning, but neither method is as effective as conventional dry cleaning with perc.

Followers of environmental legislation know that California is usually a leader among the states in addressing environmental issues. Those in the dry cleaning business can be assured that many other states are watching the perc ban in California. It is only a matter of time until other states start following California’s lead in banning perc. So dry cleaners in other states should start learning about and investing in greener dry cleaning technologies in anticipation of future legislation. After all if investors are demanding companies go green, one can only assume that customers will also.