Mass Dry Cleaners Asked To Adopt Plan To Cut Toxicity
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) this week announced a new plan aimed at reducing the use of toxic solvents by Bay State dry cleaners.
According to the EOEEA, the state has adopted the Toxic Use Reduction Act (TURA) program under which the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) will ask dry cleaners to take steps to significantly reduce the use of the chemical perchloroethylene, a solvent that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has named a likely carcinogen to humans.
If a voluntary approach to the TURA program doesn't produce significant reductions in the next four years, MassDEP will propose mandatory rules, according to the EOEEA.
The MassDEP has the authority to regulate the dry cleaning industry, under the federal Clean Air Act. Under existing regulations, dry cleaners using perchloroethylene are required to submit an annual certification showing they are in compliance with environmental regulations.
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