It’s Time to Get Toxic Chemicals Out Of Dry Cleaning

January 22, 2019

January 22, 2019


Today’s Guest Blog is by Steve Whittaker and Ashley Pedersen with the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County, Washington. The article was originally posted in Environmental Health News on December 13, 2018.


Perchloroethylene, a probable human carcinogen, remains the most frequently-used solvent for dry cleaning. It's time to help the industry change—and our county is doing just that.


When perchloroethylene (PERC) was introduced to the dry cleaning industry in the 1930s, it must have seemed like a miracle solvent.

It cleans clothes well and – most importantly – it is nonflammable. This is in contrast to the previous solvents, like Stoddard solvent, gasoline, turpentine, and even benzene. Because the use of these flammable solvents resulted in catastrophic fires and explosions, government regulations forced dry cleaners to move out of highly populated areas. With the advent of PERC, dry cleaners could move back to population centers, where the customers were.


The dry cleaning industry provided a unique opportunity for a whole generation of immigrants. A 2011 survey indicated that in King County, Washington, for instance, more than 80% of dry cleaning business owners emigrated from South Korea. For many of these immigrants, dry cleaning was the ideal business. They readily grasped the complexity of the dry cleaning process and were able to build successful businesses through hard work.


Unfortunately, very few are aware of the health risks associated with a lifetime of using a hazardous chlorinated solvent.


Old machines, hazardous exposures 


The earliest dry cleaning technology used "transfer machines," where fabrics washed in PERC were manually transferred to dryers while still wet. The exposures to PERC were massive, and several epidemiological studies suggest excess risk for cancer and adverse effects on the nervous system, kidneys, liver, immune system and the hematologic (blood) system.


Although transfer machines are now banned in the United States and replaced with enclosed "dry-to-dry" machines, we still see PERC exposures. In King County, most PERC machines are more than 20 years old, which is past their operational lifespan of 15 years. These old machines are leaking. We have measured hundreds of parts per million of PERC in the ambient air of dry cleaners.


Workers are also exposed to PERC when they remove fabrics from the machine, handle their hazardous waste, and deal with accidental spills.


Here in King County, the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program has provided technical assistance to the dry cleaning community for more than 20 years.


When we considered the legacy of PERC's effects on health and the environment, we realized that we needed to get PERC out of dry cleaning.


There are almost 200 sites in King County contaminated with PERC. In addition, some of our local communities draw their drinking water from shallow aquifers, which contain detectable levels of PERC. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently evaluating PERC for possible restriction, so we recognized an opportunity to help dry cleaners switch to safer alternatives – and avoid "regrettable substitutes" – ahead of potential federal regulations.


Making the switch


Several jurisdictions have already taken steps to remove PERC dry cleaning machines from circulation. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) passed a regulation in 2007 phasing-out PERC dry cleaning by 2023. The Cities of Philadelphia and Minneapolis have also passed phase-outs.


Other jurisdictions have given tech and financial support to help dry cleaners switch to safer alternatives, including Massachusetts (via the Toxics Use Reduction Institute), New York State, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, and the City of Minneapolis.

We engaged our dry cleaning community to find out what it would take to help them switch. We worked with leaders in the Korean-American community to host meetings of the local dry cleaning association, facilitated focus groups, and conducted numerous interviews with dry cleaners – all in Korean. We learned that cost was the single greatest barrier to replacing old PERC machines with safer technology.


In 2018, we began offering $20,000 equipment reimbursement grants to help dry cleaners replace their PERC machines with professional wet cleaning, which relies on water and detergent, rather than an organic solvent.


The latest generation of professional wet cleaning is an integrated system, comprised of a programmable washer, a moisture-sensing dryer, and specialized detergents and conditioners that allow any "dry clean only" fabric to be washed in water.


So far, we have provided grants to seven dry cleaners — and all seven are no longer inhaling PERC. Some workers are reporting significant improvements in their health. Shop owners are also saving money because they no longer generate hazardous waste and their utility bills are much lower.


Our goal is to make King County PERC-free by 2025 by offering 10 grants of $20,000 per year.

Providing grants to small businesses is a positive step in helping eliminate dangerous chemical exposures that impact the health and environment in our communities.


Ashley Pedersen and Steve Whittaker are with the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County, Washington, where they manage the county's financial incentive program to transition PERC dry cleaners to safer alternatives.


LHWMP is a regional collaboration between Public Health - Seattle & King County, King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Seattle Public Utilities, and suburban cities in King County.


Environmental Health News publication of Environmental Health Sciences, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to driving science into public discussion and policy on environmental health issues, including climate change. The article is reprinted by permission.



Disclaimer: Guest blogs represent the opinion of the writers and may not reflect the policy or position of the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc.

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Northeast recycled commodity values hit 5-year lows

By Antoinette Smith | Resource Recycling • March 6, 2026
Fourth-quarter MRF commodity values in the Northeast reached five-year lows, as they continued to drop but at a decelerating pace, according to Northeast Recycling Council survey data released this week. The average value for all commodities fell to $68.41/ton without residuals, lower by 8.96% on the quarter. This level marks the lowest point since Q4 2020, when the grade hit $60.46. The report includes responses from 18 MRFs representing 12 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia. With residuals, average values were at $52.49/ton with residuals, lower by 12.75% – the lowest point since Q3 2020, when the grade reached $40.19. The report also detailed the change in Q4 average values, with For PET, PP and mixed plastics (#3-7), as well as steel cans, the rate of decrease slowed in the quarter, while OCC, aluminum cans and mixed paper continued falling at the same pace as the previous quarter. Average pricing for both natural and color HDPE bales, brown glass containers and all other paper rose in Q4. However, clear glass, green glass and 3-mix glass containers, along with bulky rigids, fell during the period, after rising in Q3. The report points out that recovered glass often is marketed but at a negative value, meaning recipients are paid to take it away. Single stream decreased by 7.87% without residuals and by 9.82% with residuals, while dual stream/source separated materials fell by 10.57% without residuals, and by 18.98% with residuals. Although dual-stream MRFs did not decelerate as much as their single-stream counterparts, they did see a higher average commodity price compared to single stream for both with and without residuals. Residual material cannot be sold and is landfilled. The report also showed the 2024 share of each material at 18 MRFs, with OCC and mixed paper representing nearly one half of incoming volumes. Of the included states, five have deposit return systems for beverage containers, which results in fewer glass bottles, PET bottles and aluminum cans winding up in MRFs there. In addition, MRFs in those states typically generate less revenue from those recyclables, the report said. The report also showed the 2024 share of each material at 18 MRFs, with OCC and mixed paper representing nearly one half of incoming volumes. Of the included states, five have deposit return systems for beverage containers, which results in fewer glass bottles, PET bottles and aluminum cans winding up in MRFs there. In addition, MRFs in those states typically generate less revenue from those recyclables, the report said. Of the three approaches reflected in the report – single stream, dual stream and source separation – single stream is the most common. Read the article on Resource Recycling's website.

Northeast recycled commodity values hit 5-year lows

March 6, 2026
Northeast recycled commodity values hit 5-year lows Fourth-quarter MRF commodity values in the Northeast reached five-year lows, as they continued to drop but at a decelerating pace, according to Northeast Recycling Council survey data released this week. The average value for all commodities fell to $68.41/ton without residuals, lower by 8.96% on the quarter. This level marks the lowest point since Q4 2020, when the grade hit $60.46. The report includes responses from 18 MRFs representing 12 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia. With residuals, average values were at $52.49/ton with residuals, lower by 12.75% – the lowest point since Q3 2020, when the grade reached $40.19. The report also detailed the change in Q4 average values, with For PET, PP and mixed plastics (#3-7), as well as steel cans, the rate of decrease slowed in the quarter, while OCC, aluminum cans and mixed paper continued falling at the same pace as the previous quarter. Average pricing for both natural and color HDPE bales, brown glass containers and all other paper rose in Q4. However, clear glass, green glass and 3-mix glass containers, along with bulky rigids, fell during the period, after rising in Q3. The report points out that recovered glass often is marketed but at a negative value, meaning recipients are paid to take it away. Single stream decreased by 7.87% without residuals and by 9.82% with residuals, while dual stream/source separated materials fell by 10.57% without residuals, and by 18.98% with residuals. Although dual-stream MRFs did not decelerate as much as their single-stream counterparts, they did see a higher average commodity price compared to single stream for both with and without residuals. Residual material cannot be sold and is landfilled. The report also showed the 2024 share of each material at 18 MRFs, with OCC and mixed paper representing nearly one half of incoming volumes. Of the included states, five have deposit return systems for beverage containers, which results in fewer glass bottles, PET bottles and aluminum cans winding up in MRFs there. In addition, MRFs in those states typically generate less revenue from those recyclables, the report said. The report also showed the 2024 share of each material at 18 MRFs, with OCC and mixed paper representing nearly one half of incoming volumes. Of the included states, five have deposit return systems for beverage containers, which results in fewer glass bottles, PET bottles and aluminum cans winding up in MRFs there. In addition, MRFs in those states typically generate less revenue from those recyclables, the report said. Of the three approaches reflected in the report – single stream, dual stream and source separation – single stream is the most common. Read report on CRA's website.

Q4 2025 Northeast U.S. Commodity Values Decelerate in Decline and HDPE Sees Slight Increase

By Megan Fontes • March 5, 2026
NERC’s Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) Commodity Values Survey Report for the period October - December 2025 showed a deceleration in the continued decline in the average commodity prices. The average value of all commodities decreased by 8.96% without residuals to $68.41 and by 12.75% with residuals to $52.49 as compared to last quarter. Single stream decreased by 7.87% without residuals and 9.82% with residuals, while dual stream / source separated decreased by 10.57% without residuals and 18.98% with residuals compared to last quarter. Dual stream MRFs did not decelerate as much as single stream MRFs but did see a higher average commodity price compared to single stream for both with and without residuals. The decrease seen in Steel cans, PET, Polypropylene, and Mixed plastics (#3-7) slowed as compared to last quarter, while the decrease remained consistent in OCC, Aluminum cans, Mixed paper, and Residue. Notably, average values for Natural HDPE, Colored HDPE, All other paper, and Brown glass containers reversed direction from last quarter (where they dropped in value) and saw an increase in value this quarter as compared to last quarter. Clear glass, Green glass, and 3-Mix glass containers, as well as Bulky rigids, reversed direction from last quarter (where they increased in value) and saw a decrease in value this quarter as compared to last quarter.