Approved by the board’s seven members, against the recommendations of its staff and the views of the drycleaning industry’s representatives, the new rule includes amendments to the state’s Air Toxics Control Measure (ATCM) that will phase out all perc use in drycleaning in stages by 2023.
From 1 January 2008 perc machines may not be sold in California. Perc machines older than 15 years cannot be used after July 2010.
CARB’s staff had recommended additional restrictions on perc use, but fell short of the board’s full ban.
The transition from perc to alternatives is already well underway in California, according to CARB. It estimates that in 2003 84% of the state’s 5,440 drycleaning were using perc. By 2006 there were 5,210 drycleaning machines in the state and perc accounted for 70% of these and there were about 1,000 fewer perc machines in use. CARB estimates that the phase-out will cost around $39million
