Cancer Prevention Question #4: Is Drycleaning Dangerous?
Posted by Lynne Eldridge MD at 8/28/2007 4:00 AM 
Categories: Cancer Prevention Questions, Environment, Drycleaning
Categories: Cancer Prevention Questions, Environment, Drycleaning
Continuing with common questions from our recent book tour: Is Drycleaning Dangerous?
First the "knowns". Drycleaning workers have an elevated risk of developing cancer, particularly cancer of the esophagus. The primary solvent used in drycleaning, perchloroethylene (perc), has been shown to cause cancer in rodents, and in 1995, the International Association for Research on Cancer labeled perc as probably carcinogenic to humans as well.
What does that mean for those of us that occassionallly drop off a load of laundry at our local drycleaning establishment? We don't know the exact risk to consumers that have their clothing drycleaned, or what would constitute a "safe amount" of drycleaning. Our take on the issue is, however, very simple. Regardless of whether or not having our clothes drycleaned puts us at risk of developing cancer, why would we place the workers at risk, simply to have our clothes washed?
Alternatives are available for those who can't imagine washing that fancy dress or suit. Wet cleaning uses water instead of chemicals, and has been used in England for many years with satisfactory results. Liquid CO2 cleaning that uses captured CO2, is another option. While most people are pleased with the results of wet cleaning, results obtained from liquid CO2 cleaning have proven superior to traditional perc cleaning. Despite the cost to drycleaners of converting from lower cost chemical cleaners, to liquid CO2, California has elected to ban perc completely by the year 2023.
The EPA has a list of alternative cleaners available at www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/garment/gcrg/cleanguide.pdf.
To search for wet cleaners by zip code, go to www.earth911.org/usa/master.asp?s=lib&a-shopsmart/tech.html.
For a listing of liquid CO2 cleaners by state, check out www.findCO2.com.
For further information on cancer prevention and the environmental risk for cancer, visit www.avoidcancernow.com.
If you would like to have a cancer prevention question covered in our series, email your question to authors@avoidcancernow.com. We will try to include as many questions as possible.
I'm a 22 year old from the u.k. I work in a small drycleaning chain that consists of 5 shops. Each one is tiny and compact, yet we do our drycleaning onsite. I've worked in this establishment for almost 2 years now, and never really got much apart from dry lips and dry skin on my hands. That is until today, (21/10/2007) We're currently having work done to the machine, whilst we are still happily working away. I've been bumping into everything, my eyes have been burning, exactly like when you get out of a pool treated with clorine, and my chest is real tight, not to mention lethargic and dazed, almost as if I've taken narcotics. I've been trying to research the effects that perc has to the respritorty system, mainly because i've encountered problems but havnt put them down to this chemical. I've found this page very interesting to read, I've never really known the disadvantages of working with the chemical until now. I'm unsure as to what I can do though, I need the job for incaome, but this an unsafe enviroment for anyone to work in. I do wish to carry out research on the effects of this chemical, I've kept notes of all the different reactions I've encountered. thank youfor pubishing this page, it has been a great help and inspiration to me.
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