Description

Perchloroethylene, or perc, is a solvent used widely by dry cleaners to clean clothing and other textiles. It easily evaporates and emits a sharp, sweet odor, even at very low levels. Perc is a common indoor air pollutant in homes.

Perc may also be an ingredient in spot removers, rug and upholstery cleaners, water repellents, aerosols, adhesives, sealants, wood cleaners and polishes, lubricants, typewriter correction fluid and shoe polish. It is also commonly used as a metal degreasing solvent.

Even if children do not wear dry cleaned clothes, they may still be exposed to the perc used to clean clothes of other members of the household. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has found that emissions from freshly dry cleaned clothing cause levels of perc to rise in homes.

Perc accumulates in fatty tissue and breast milk. Families living above dry cleaning facilities can be exposed to high levels of perc.

Health Effects

Immediate Health Effects

If SWALLOWED, perchloroethylene is Moderately Toxic
If ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN, perchloroethylene is Not Available
If INHALED (SNIFFED OR BREATHED IN), perchloroethylene is Slightly Toxic

Longterm or Delayed Health Effects

Animal tests have shown this chemical to cause cancer. Studies on dry cleaning workers have shown possible cancers resulting from chronic exposure.
Chronic exposure can lead to mild neurological impairments such as verbal skills, cognitive ability, reaction times and motor function.

Other

Eye, skin and respiratory tract irritation
Liver and kidney damage
If inhaled at high doses, can affect the nervous system, causing intoxication, memory loss, confusion, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, headache, nausea, weakness, unconsciousness.
Male and female fertility problems have been associated with perc as well as abnormal menstrual symptoms.
Can also increase the risk of miscarriage

How Exposures Occur

Drinking Water

Perc can contaminate drinking water when it leaches from vinyl liners in some types of pipelines used for water distribution, and when it’s formed in small quantities during chlorination treatment of water.

From the Air

Children can inhale perc fumes if they reside in an apartment above or near a dry cleaning establishment.

Coin-operated Dry Cleaning Establishments

Potentially large exposures occur in coin-operated dry cleaning establishments, where measured levels can be high. In one study, the amount of perc measured in the air was almost one-third the amount allowed in occupational settings.

Prenatal Exposure

In the womb, developing babies may be exposed to perc that crosses over the placenta of mothers working in or above or next door to dry cleaning establishments.

From Breast Milk

Babies may be exposed to perc in breast milk of mothers working in or above or next door to dry cleaning establishments.

However, the benefits for babies from breast feeding outweigh the risks of perc exposure. Breastfed babies are healthier than those who are bottle-fed; they experience fewer allergies, respiratory illnesses, and skin problems. In its 1997 policy statement, Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk, the American Academy of Pediatrics highly recommends breast feeding for all infants for one year.

Dry-cleaned clothing

Children can inhale perc emitted by clothing that has been recently dry cleaned.

In Food

Though perc has been detected in fatty foods, such as butter, that were stored in homes or supermarkets adjacent to dry cleaners, this kind of exposure is unlikely.

Significant Statistics

Peak production was 347,000 metric tons in 1980. After that year, demand declined and leveled off.

Report on Carcinogens, Eleventh Edition; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Toxicology Program.

http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/eleventh/profiles/s169tetr.pdf.

Homes with freshly dry cleaned clothing have perchloroethylene levels that are 2 to 30 times higher than average background levels.

Report on Carcinogens, Eleventh Edition; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Toxicology Program.

http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/eleventh/profiles/s169tetr.pdf.

After exposure, perchloroethylene collects in human fat tissue. It is slowly released into the bloodstream and can be detected in the breath for weeks following a heavy exposure.

ToxFAQs for Tetrachloroethylene (Perc). Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, September 1997.

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts18.html

Solutions

How to detect perchloroethylene

If you live above or near a dry cleaner, you may want to have your indoor air tested for perchloroethylene, particularly if you are, or plan to be, pregnant or breastfeeding a child. The Indoor Air Quality Hotline (see below) can help you find a specialist.
Perchloroethylene is regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This law requires that community water systems monitor perc levels, and make public when levels exceed the set Maximum Contamination Level (MCL). The MCL for perc has also been set at 5 parts per billion (ppb).

Community water systems are required to produce annual consumer confidence reports and mail them to every water customer.

If your water source is a well, your water is not monitored for contaminants as is required for public water supplies by the Safe Drinking Water Act. Private testing of the water is necessary.

Even if your water comes from a community water system, contaminant levels can vary from house to house. You can have your water tested by sending samples to a certified laboratory.

You can search for water quality reports from your water provider, obtain information on well water testing and find a list of state-certified drinking water laboratories at the U.S. EPA’s Office of Water’s website or call the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline, 800-426-4791.

How to minimize exposure to perchloroethylene

Some clothing labeled "Dry Clean Only" may be safely handwashed, according to Consumer Reports. "Dry Clean Only" labels are overused because manufacturers prefer to err on the side of caution.

Handwash plain-weave rayon and solid-colored silks separately in cool water, squeeze rather than wring, and lay flat to dry.

Wash sweaters in cold water by hand or machine; cashmere and cotton do best in the washing machine inside out; dry sweaters flat, except cotton sweaters, which can be machine-dried.

Angora sweaters and structured or lined garments should be sent to a professional cleaner, however.
If dry-cleaned goods have a strong chemical odor when you pick them up, ask your cleaner to dry them further. If it keeps happening, switch to a different cleaner.
Air out dry-cleaned garments by taking them out of the plastic sheath and hanging them briefly outdoors before bringing them indoors.

Alternatives

Wetcleaning, a professional alternative to perchloroethylene that uses biodegradable soaps, instead, is also available. Look for a cleaner near you at the Professional Wetcleaning Network’s website. There is also ongoing research into different ways to dry clean without perc, so check local professionals to see what they might be looking into to move away from perc.

For More information

Books, articles, factsheets and reports

Fagin, Dan, Marianne Lavelle, and the Center for Public Integrity. Toxic Deception: How the Chemical Industry Manipulates Science, Bends the Law, and Endangers Your Health. Secaucus, NJ: Birch Lane Press, 1996.

Other government agencies

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington DC 20460
202-260-1023
Indoor Air Quality Hotline: 800-438-4318

http://www.epa.gov/oppts

National Toxicology Program

National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences
P.O.Box 12233
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
919-541-3345

http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/

Agency of Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Division of Toxicology
1600 Clifton Road E-29
Atlanta, GA 30333
800-447-1544

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov

Nonprofit organizations

Greenpeace USA

702 H Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
800-326-0959

http://www.greenpeaceusa.org

Center for Neighborhood Technology

2125 W. North Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
773-278-4800

http://www.cnt.org

Other websites

Environmental Defense Chemical Scorecard

http://www.scorecard.org

Pesticide Action Network Pesticide Database

http://www.pesticideinfo.org