Alternatives to Perchloroethylene-Based Garment Care: Assessing the Viability ofProfessional Wet Cleaning

摘要

The report analyzes the viability of Cleaner by Nature, a 100% professional wetcleaner, and whether professional wet cleaning represents a viable pollution prevention approach in eliminating perchloroethylene (PCE), a chemical solvent used in dry cleaning. The analysis includes a comprehensive plant level case study, and comparative performance, financial, and environmetnal assessments of wet cleaning and PCE-based dry cleaning. The major issues associated with the viability analyses were identified and specific information was collected in relation to how the clothes were cleaned (a customer garment profile, a problem garment analysis, a technical evaluation or repeat clean test, a wearer survey, and customer satisfaction surveys); how wet cleaning did financially (a start-up cost analysis and a profit/loss analysis); what environmental impacts were identified (water, energy, and chemical inputs and outputs); and what contributing factors (technology changes, garment manufacturing and labeling, and regulator or legislative actions) influence the viability of professional wet cleaning.