Municipal Action to Phase-Out the Use of Perchloroethylene (perc) by Dry Cleaners

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Health Hygiene’s (DOHMH) Office of Environmental Surveillance and Policy (OESP) is charged with gathering, analyzing, interpreting and utilizing data to evaluate the environmental public health needs of New York City residents. The OESP requested that a Capstone team evaluate options for local governmental action to accelerate the phase-out of perchloroethylene (perc) in residential dry cleaning facilities, as well as for the phase-out to be extended to co-located commercial dry cleaners in response to a July 2006 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule. The Capstone team conducted a review of the existing literature on the health hazards of perc and undertook extensive research on the alternatives to perc and initiatives in other states such as California. Informal interviews with owners and workers of dry cleaners were also completed to gain industry insight. This information was then analyzed to produce a report of findings and recommendations for the OESP. Recommended options include the promotion of "drop-off" facilities, improvement of trade association and government communication, support of research and development for alternative dry cleaning technologies, and the discouragement of continued perc use by fiscal and tax policy.