I have used PERC for the last 25 years of my career and it has served me well.  When I purchased my cleaning machine ten years ago I had the option of choosing a PERC or Hydrocarbon machine.  At the time, there were no other options.  Hydrocarbon meant a substantially higher investment for a product I was unfamiliar with.  It also meant additional maintenance and because it is not as strong as PERC, a larger capacity machine was required to keep up with production due to its longer cycle times.

At that time, I had been a Certified Environmental Drycleaner , (CED), for three years.  My customers had come to accept that it was all they needed to be assured their clothes were being cleaned in a safe manner and no harm would come to the environment or them personally.  PERC was clearly the choice for me.

But times change. 

Could any of us have foreseen the wave of anti-PERC fear that was to come?  Fueled by increasing reports of site contaminations at cleaners and other industrial sites, the media has turned their eyes solely on us.  And it sometimes feels like we are being blamed as the single source of pollution on the planet.  At the ODCA Convention in 2006, Nora Nealis of the National Cleaners Association told our group, "It will not be the regulators who determine the solvent you use in the future, it will not be your landlord.  Your customer will make that decision".  I am now told by customers on a regular basis that I can't be environmental if I use PERC even as a CED.  It became painfully clear earlier this year that Nora was right.  I now find myself behind the curve instead of ahead of it.

My situation doesn't allow me to consider CO- 2 or the new Solvair systems.  I think few cleaners in Oregon could afford to purchase or operate them.  GreenEart h systems require an investment in new equipment, more costly solvent, an annual license fee equal to what I now pay in PERC taxes, and additional labor.  While I know GreenEarth cleaners who are very happy with their conversion, I know others who were not and have switched to hydrocarbon. 

Hydrocarbon could be a good choice.  While it is not the environmental ideal and its relative weakness to PERC and longer running times may be a step backwards, it isn't PERC and that seems to be what my customers want.  After investigating the cost to purchase a new machine, install it, and the downtime during this period I was prepared to seriously consider changing.  Then I found out my PERC machine has practically no value as a trade.  This is a problem for me.  The machine has been well maintained, is in excellent condition and has many years of service left.  Perhaps I don't want to look at this in an objective way.  Perhaps I am letting my emotional attachment cloud my thinking, but I don't care to figure that part out. Five years from now I will probably accept its "lack of value", but not today. 

My best solution to the problem would be to keep my existing machine and simply change out the solvent.  Until recently, that would not have been possible as no other solvent existed to run in a PERC machine.  I had heard about Dry Solv , n-propyl bromide, but discounted it as a reasonable choice because of all the negative comments I had been hearing.  It was now time to find out exactly what people were saying and then to do my own investigation into what they claimed.  What follows are some of those concerns and my own thoughts about them.

"It isn't non-hazardous":  Dry Cleaning Technologies, the company that manufactures DrySolv claims that the product is listed as non-hazardous. This is certainly true as it is not listed under the toxic release inventory.  It's not regulated by the clean water act, DOT, OSHA, RCRA or HAZCOM.  However, one look at the DrySolsv MS DS and one clearly sees you need a healthy respect for the product and how you operate with it.  Is this a negative?  Not from my perspective. 

When I purchased my hot tub, I was advised to use bromine as a sanitizer instead of chlorine.  It is safer and healthier for me.  Had I read the bromine MSDS prior to using it I would have been shocked that I was expected to soak in it, yet millions continue to use it daily with no ill effects when used properly.

Oregon DEQ has only one regulation on DrySolv that I could find, According to the Clean Air Department I would have to obtain a Permit if I released ten tons or more into the atmosphere.  An unlikely scenario.  DEQ has no plans at this time to add further to this.  Operating DrySolv in a PERC machine would simply warrant continuing PERC related safety practices.  It should be pointed out that, unlike hydrocarbon, DrySolv is non-flammable.  It also does not contribute to global warming and is not listed as a carcinogen by IARC, a major concern of dry cleaning customers.

"It's corrosive":  Just as PERC is corrosive, so is DrySolv.  With the increased solvent mileage from converting to closed- looped machines, many dry cleaners have seen the effects on their equipment as the stabilizers in their solvent break down.  DrySolv contains stabilizers also.  They are compromised by prolonged exposure to moisture and high heat. A properly operating cleaning machine should not have a moisture problem.  The company has also addressed this issue with the addition of stabilizers to their DrySolv D detergent .  I have not seen any PERC detergent claim to add stabilizers.

"It's stronger and more aggressive than PERC":  Why this was brought up as a bad thing is beyond me.  Because it is stronger, shorter run times are required.  It makes more sense to clean in shorter cycles than the longer ones required by GreenEarth and hydrocarbon.  Letting the solvent do the work instead of the mechanical action of the machine is much more gentle on fabrics. 

"It voids your machine warranty":  This one made me laugh.  Besides the fact that a ten year old machine wouldn't have a warranty any more, how many of us actually received any benefit from the warranty on our machines when we bought them?  The odds of a problem developing within the one year period are rare, only after a few years do problems come up.  Its true, several equipment manufacturers have stated they will not honor their warranties if anything other than PERC is used in their machines, but at least one manufacturer will.  This isn't because of the horrendous effects DrySolv has on the equipment, only the lack of testing.  I remember when GreenEarth first came out and people were putting it in hydrocarbon machines.  The same issue came up.  DrySolv is stronger than PERC and during its early use it was discovered that some components on some machines failed after a while.  An example is the manufacturer who claims to have an "all stainless steel" still.  True, but they fail to mention that they use cast aluminum for the still door.  DrySolv quickly eroded it.  The makers of DrySolv are aware of these obstacles and are now able to help guide the user through overcoming them.  Perhaps machine manufacturers will step up to the challenge and build machines that will use PERC or DrySolv just as they have with hydrocarbon machines that can use GreenEarth.

"You don't use filters":  I have known many a PERC cleaner running successfully without the use of filtration.  The thought of removing that part of the equation from the cleaning process is very appealing.  The PERC cleaners used detergents specifically designed to help prevent re-deposition of soils.  DrySolv's unique properties and shorter running times prevent redep making filters obsolete.  Not using filters will reduce maintenance and the shorter running times will produce less lint in the waste stream.

"It stinks":  This is subjective.  PERC stinks to some and smells good to others.  To me, hydrocarbon smells like weak gasoline.  Process your garments in clean solvent, regardless of its scent, and the clothes will come out smelling clean and fresh with no trace of solvent smell.  Does this DrySolv "stink" remain in the clothes?  DrySolv is extremely volatile and evaporates quickly.  Any solvent smell would evaporate also.  Because you are operating with fresh clean distilled solvent every load there is no chance of fatty acids building up in your tanks and turning rancid, the single major source of odor in freshly cleaned clothes.

"Its a sinker solvent":  A sinker is a solvent that weighs more than water.  This is exactly why it will work in a PERC machine.  This is also why PERC has such a bad reputation now.  Had it not been released into the environment and no cleaning plants had contamination under them, no one would be taking a second look at it now.  Even if DrySolv did get into the environment, the product bio-degrades rapidly and none of these components are associated with cancer.

"Its a step backwards":  I have also heard "a step sideways".  From the perspective of a GreenEarth or hydrocarbon cleaner or any "alternative" solvent user for that matter, yes, I can see the basis for this comment.  From the perspective of a PERC cleaner in my position, and the thousands of others similar to me, quite the opposite is true.  Imagine standing at your counter and telling your customer, "No.  We don't use PERC" when they voice a concern.  For a small investment instead of forty, fifty or even sixty thousand dollars for a new cleaning machine you can do just that. In this regard alone DrySolv is a huge step forward.

Is DrySolv right for me?  Was hydrocarbon or GreenEarth right for those who chose them?  For many it was, for some it didn't work out at all.  No one can say which solvent is best for them without actually working with it.  I loved Valclene when I started in this business back in the 70's but its long gone now.  I love PERC but I fear its days are numbered.  I can sit around and wait to see what happens.  I can spend tens of thousands on new equipment and risk chosing the wrong solvent for me or I can act on the information I have and try DrySolv.

Next month I will report on the conversion of my PERC machine to DrySolv and the results of operating with this new solvent.  I invite your comments and questions.