Steve Whittaker, Ph.D.

Local Hazardous Waste Management Program

Public Health – Seattle & King County

LHWMP and Dry Cleaning

PPRC Regional RoundtableOctober 25, 2017

Outline

• What is LHWMP?

• Solvent evolution

• LHWMP and dry cleaning

• The King County picture

• Alternatives to PERC

• Multi-agency regional program

• Established in 1990

• LHW fees on wastewater, solid waste collection and disposal services

• Funds cities, tribes & implementing agencies: $19.1M in 2017

• 70.5 FTE in four agencies

Working Together to Reduce Hazardous Waste

www.HazwasteHelp.org

• Serves 2 million

residents / 60,000

businesses

• Focus on service

equity

Working Together to Reduce Hazardous Waste

www.HazwasteHelp.org

Pre 1960s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s

Evolution of Dry Cleaning Solvents

Evolution of Dry Cleaning SolventsPre 1960s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s

• Kerosene• Turpentine• Naptha• Benzene• Stoddard• Carbon tet.• TCE

PERCintroduced

PERCuse peaks

• Liquid CO2• High-flash

hydrocarbons• Siloxane• Glycol ethers• 1-bp• Water

• Acetal (Solvon K4)

• New prof. wet cleaning

California:PERC phase-

out

Evolution of Dry Cleaning Solvents

Evolution of Dry Cleaning Solvents

Greenwashing

LHWMP and Dry Cleaners

• Providing technical and financial assistance for >20 years

• Many are EnviroStars

• New solvents in last 10 years

• Data gaps!

Demographics

• 84% Korean-owned (compare to 60% in 1998-2000)

• 84% family-owned / operated

• 26% have no employees

• 46% have 1-2 employees (mainly Hispanic)

Business characteristics• Owners operated businesses for 10

years (avg.)

• 69% use PERC (compare to “almost all” in 1998-2000)

• Operate 5-6 days per week

• 81% <2,000 sq. ft.

• 69% co-located with businesses that sell or serve food

Age of dry cleaning machinesExpected lifespan ?

Source: LHWMP, 2011

<1

High-flash Hydrocarbon• Product not dangerous waste: Fish LC50 >5000 mg/L

• Practically insoluble in water

• Less dense than water - floats on top

• Isoparaffin – free of benzene, toluene, etc.

• Barely detectable airborne concentrations in shop

• Local community’s preferred alternative

• Separator water: discharge to sewer with permit

• Still bottoms: DW (WT02)

• Flammable

• VOC – ozone generation?

• Often used with legacy spot cleaners (e.g., TCE)

Acetal (Solvon K4)

• Sparingly soluble in water• Less dense than water - floats on top• Barely detectable airborne concentrations in shop• When installed, preferable spot cleaners• Separator water: discharge to sewer with permit• Product is DW (WT02): Fish LC50 46 mg/L• Health effects poorly characterized• Potential to generate formaldehyde• Flammable• VOC – ozone generation?• Still bottoms: EHW (WT01)

Professional Wet Cleaning (Water)

• Similar footprint as PERC machine• No organic solvent• No organic vapors emitted from machine• No hazardous waste generated• Demonstrated positive Return on Investment• Toxicity of detergents and spot cleaners?• Impacts of surfactants on POTWs?• Variability in electrical, natural gas, and water

demand• Resistance in local community

www.lhwmp.org/home/Health/drycleaners.aspx

LHWMP’s Dry Cleaning Experts

• Trevor Fernandes (Technical Assistance)

• Tammy Himes (Technical Assistance)

• Ashley Pedersen (Policy)

• Laurel Tomchick (EnviroStars)

• Steve Whittaker (Research Services)206-263-8499 / steve.whittaker@kingcounty.gov