Wet Cleaning Events
TURI is currently working with professional garment cleaners across the state to encourage their conversion to wet cleaning technologies.
Regulatory Drivers
The Environmental Protection Agency has tightened rules for dry cleaning facilities that are located in buildings where people live. These facilities must stop using perc by 2020.
The Massachusetts DEP Environmental Results Program oversees perchlorethylene use in the dry cleaning industry. They require dry cleaners to conduct an annual self-certification of compliance to increase accountability.
California is the first state to ban the use of perc from dry cleaning. This ban is being implemented in a phased approach beginning next year by preventing the purchase of dry cleaning machines that use the chemical solvent. All perc machines that are more than 15 years old must be decommissioned by 2010. The California phase out will be completed by 2023.
Wet Cleaning Demonstration Day
A wet cleaning equipment demonstration, co-sponsored with the National Fabricare Association, took place on Sunday October 14, 2007 in Lowell. Cleaners from California who have made the switch to 100% wet cleaning were on hand to describe the benefits of the technology, including energy use reduction, elimination of waste generation, and permitting savings, as well as the health and safety of workers and customers. National Grid spoke about their small business rebate programs, and TURI introduced demonstration site grant funding.
Between 1PM-4PM, the equipment demonstration took place at the Lowell National Historic Park Maintenance Facility. A washer and dryer, and tensioners that shape the clothing, were on hand. Test loads were run on items generally considered hard to clean, such as wool coats.
Wet Cleaning Demonstration Site
TURI is currently helping fund a facility to converting to 100% wet cleaning. Look for more information coming soon about that facility!
Please contact Joy Onasch for further information on our work with the dry cleaning industry.
This page updated Wednesday June 04 2008