Media Coverage

State moves closer to perc ban
Central Valley Business Times
May 26, 2006
Don’t buy any new cleaning equipment that uses perchloroethylene, or "perc," the California Air Resources Board cautions Central Valley and California dry cleaners.

State regulators move to phase out dry cleaning solvent
Sacramento Bee - The Associated Press
May 26, 2006
SACRAMENTO (AP) - California air regulators have voted to develop a plan to phase out a hazardous dry cleaning solvent. Thursday's move by the state Air Resources Board could make California the first state to ban perchloroethylene, or "perc," the primary chemical used in dry cleaning.

State Ready to Phase Out Dry-Clean Solvent
By Janet Wilson, LA Times Staff Writer
May 26, 2006
California is poised to become the first state to phase out the main chemical used by dry cleaners, following a unanimous vote by the state's Air Resources Board on Thursday to develop a plan to eliminate perchloroethylene — or "perc."

Exigen se prohíba químico en tintorerías
Por Andrea Carrión Diario
Hoy Internet
19 de mayo, 2006
Quienes trabajan en tintorerías tienen un tema bastante controvertido en común: el uso del 'perc' en el lavado al seco. La mayoría utiliza este disolvente porque lo considera "el más efectivo" del mercado. Otros, tras constatar su carácter cancerígeno, han optado por métodos alternativos.

Valley deserves protection from toxic chemical
By Debbie Davis and Sharah Sharpe
May 24, 2006
"The state Air Resources Board acknowledges that there are cost-effective nontoxic, nonsmog-forming alternatives to perc," said Luis Cabrales, Coalition for Clean Air's Campaign and Outreach Associate. "We urge the board to replace the current proposal with an expeditious phase-out of perc dry cleaning."

Ginger Rutland’s commentary
Listen to journalist Ginger Rutland’s commentary “Do Away with Dry Cleaning” aired in Sacramento’s NPR affiliate.
Listen Now...
(mp3 file - 1 MB)

Sacramento Bee Editorial: Phasing out 'perc'
Time to end use of dangerous chemical
Published 12:01 am PDT Thursday, May 18, 2006
Perchloroethylene, the dry cleaning solvent commonly known as perc, is one nasty chemical.
For those exposed to high levels of perc, the biggest risk is cancer. The chemical can also cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, mouth, throat and lungs as well as headaches, dizziness, nausea, fainting, coughing, fluid buildup in lungs and damage to the central nervous system, kidneys, liver and reproductive system. And it is a major water contaminant.