|  | Public Health Safety | Work Safety

Posioning From Dry Cleaning Solvents

Perc or percholorethene is the most common dry cleaning solvent. Other names include tetrachloroethylene and tetrachloroethene. According to the EPA, perc use in the dry cleaning business accounts for 85 percent of all dry cleaning fluid. It is a colorless, non-flammable liquid that does not occur naturally. In addition to the dry cleaning business, textile mills, chlorofluorocarbon producers, vapor degreasing and metal cleaning operations use perc. Consumers need to be aware of the health risks associated with perc.

  1. Exposure

    • Most commonplace of exposure to perc is the workplace. Perc may contaminate both air and water. Exposure may occur in the following situations: when using products containing perc, when spending time in a dry cleaning facility, living above or adjacent to a dry cleaning business or when bringing dry cleaned items into your home. It’s also possible to find perc in certain aerosols, formulations, solvent soaps, printing inks, adhesives, sealants, polishes, lubricants and silicones.

    Short-term Effects

    • Perc enters the body either by ingesting food or water tainted with perc or breathing in contaminated air. The body will store perc in body fat. Breathing in perc has an adverse effect on the nervous system. Even if you breathe perc for a short period, you are very likely to experience one or more of the following symptoms: dizziness, fatigue, headaches, sweating or unconsciousness.

    Long-term Effects

    • Long-term exposure to perc causes liver and kidney damage. Workers exposed repeatedly to large amounts of perc in the air may experience memory loss and confusion, the EPA reports. The EPA further states that laboratory experiments have shown that perc causes cancer in animals. Based on this fact, the Department of Health and Human Services states that it’s very likely that perc may cause cancer in humans.

      The Department of Health and Human Services also claims that women who work in dry-cleaning industries have more menstrual problems and spontaneous abortions. This cannot be confirmed, however, because other factors still need to be considered.

    Environment

    • Perc does seep into the groundwater and may contaminate soil, but this is not as threatening as perc exposure at the workplace. The EPA confirms that levels of perc found in the environment cannot produce adverse health effects.

    Regulation

    • According to the Clean Air Act, the EPA has to regulate air toxins from large industrial facilities. Perc is on EPA’s list of regulated toxins. The EPA regulates by first implementing industry standards and then following up by two reviews of the facilities.

    Alternative Solvents

    • Out of health and environmental concerns, alternative solvents have appeared on the market. Carbon dioxide (CO2) in a pressurized liquid form is a leading contender. It is both non-toxic and sustainable. The only drawback is that the costs of converting to CO2 are high for established businesses.

Work Safety - Related Articles