Hartford Business Journal

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New clients only. from page 1 for several decades as dry cleaners respond to stricter environmental laws, health con- cerns and newer technologies and solvents. But some Connecticut cleaners still use the potentially harmful chemical, which has led state environmental regulators to launch a campaign to convince more businesses to voluntarily give up the solvent. "I hope I see [perc] eliminated in my lifetime," Cote said at his Blue Back Square facility, which employs 43 people and today stands out for its use of solvents and detergents that are safer for both his workers and the environment. Perc use declining A Textile Care Allied Trades Association survey found that the industry's perc con- sumption fell from 278 million pounds to 20.6 million pounds between 1985 and 2006. While state regulators don't know exactly how many of Connecticut's more than 500 dry cleaners are currently using the solvent, at least 250 have used it at some point since 1980, according to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). And the majority of those cleaners have reported perc spills over the years, said Ray Frigon, supervising environmental analyst at DEEP's remediation division. Spills were particularly likely among those who were using perc in the 1980s, before new laws that required more advanced contain- ment and filtration. There was a time when some dry cleaners handled piles of clothing dripping with perc, said Mike Astorino, owner of Norwalk's Fabri- care Cleaners, which no longer uses the solvent. "Cleaners used to be actually inhaling this stuff and dropping it on the ground," Astorino said. But those practices no longer exist. Over the past several decades, the dry-cleaning industry has adopted safer machinery that reduces exposure and uses less dangerous solvents, experts say. Among the more popular alternatives are petroleum-based hydrocarbons, such as DF-2000 and Ecosolv, manufactured by Exxon Mobil and Chevron Phillip, respec- tively, as well as brominated solvents like DrySolv and Fabrisolv, and a modified liquid silicone called siloxane, which is sold under the brand name GreenEarth. "You've got all these different things on the market now that strive to clean as well as perc does," said Peter Blake, president of the North East Fabricare Association, an indus- try group that represents approximately 200 companies in eight states. "You're able to do a lot more today than you could 10 years ago." "Wet cleaning," which uses water and detergents instead of solvents to clean cloth- ing, has also gained traction. Both Cote and Astorino have offered wet cleaning at their shops for years. Blake said he's confident perc can be used safely in today's modern machines, but many dry cleaners still choose other options because of regulatory uncertainty or con- cerns about liability. Evolving legal landscape Following the EPA's lead, several states have passed their own laws creating stricter regula- tions on perc use. Most notable is California, where lawmakers voted in 2007 to phase out perc by 2023. New York and Massachusetts have also tightened regulations. In 1989, Massachusetts created the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) at UMass Low- ell, which over the past six years has used some of the funds it receives from toxic-chemical user fees to incentivize more than a dozen dry clean- ers to give up perc, said Joy Onasch, TURI's community program manager. The trade-off for those who accept the grants is that they must convert their shops entirely to wet cleaning. Though it's been around for years, wet cleaning remains somewhat rare in the indus- try. Some businesses don't want to invest in pricey new machinery or retraining workers, while others are wary of accidentally ruin- ing clothing. Wet-cleaning advocates say partial drying and a careful stretching process help to ensure that dry-clean-only fabrics won't shrink. DEEP officials said they didn't know of any Connecticut dry cleaner that has switched exclusively to wet cleaning. Those that offer it tend to have several other sol- vents as well. While Massachusetts is certainly ahead of Connecticut in wet cleaning, DEEP is hoping to spur adoption here. Using some of a $23,000 pollution-prevention grant from the EPA, DEEP recently organized a wet-cleaning demonstration at Fabricare Cleaners, which has been wet cleaning since the 1990s. Nearly a dozen cleaners attended. Astorino, Fabricare's owner, said one of the major financial reasons he removed perc from his business years ago was his bank was increasing his mortgage costs due to perceived spill liabilities. Some commercial landlords refuse to rent to dry cleaners who use perc due to liabili- ty concerns. French Cleaners has also been using wet cleaning since the 1990s, Cote said, and cleans as much as one-third of its garments with it. He said wet cleaning works better than solvents on certain types of stains, such as sweat, and that more dry cleaners should use it. The business also uses DF-2000 and a newer acetal-based solvent called Solvon K4, which Cote said is his go-to cleaner. Like many perc alternatives, Solvon is considered much safer. While some dry cleaners are wary of wet cleaning and its potential higher costs and risks, DEEP hopes to use future EPA grants to further promote the practice. The agency also wants to educate the public on the pros and cons of various perc alternatives. "A lot of dry cleaners claim they are 'organ- ic' and 'green,' " said Connie Mendolia, a DEEP analyst. "We want the public to understand how to decipher that or what questions to ask." n Dry cleaners move away from perc use Perc remediation fund frozen From 2005 to midway through this year, a state-created remediation fund, financed by a 1-percent surcharge on dry cleaners' sales, has doled out $10.7 million to more than 80 dry cleaners in the state to help clean up perc spills, according to state records. But there are many others who have applied and not received cleanup funds. The program has been frozen to new applicants for nearly five years, a spokesman for its administrator, the Department of Economic and Com- munity Development, confirmed. There were 513 dry cleaners paying into the fund as of July, according to the Department of Revenue Services. – Matt Pilon H B J P H O T O | M A T T P I L O N Cote says wet cleaning garments is an acquired skill that requires a careful stretching process to avoid shrinkage.

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