Finding a future-proof cleaning system

The economic upheaval of the past year has seen the drycleaning industry focus its attention on rising costs, rather than on legislation.

However, although the focus has shifted, there is a strong possibility that perc, still the favoured solvent for many, will continue to come under further scrutiny and that tougher restrictions will eventually be imposed.

Despite the publicity given to perc’s alternatives, in many parts of Europe drycleaners are reluctant to make the switch for reasons both of practicality and of cost.

The situation in North America is different, the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute (DLI), the USA-based industry association, now advises members who are thinking of investing in a new drycleaning system to first consider alternative solvents and evaluate them against the legislative difficulties of using perc today.

Eugenio Boni, export manager of Italclean, the Italian supplier of drycleaning machines, says the regulations continue to limit the use of perc as most industrialised countries strive to become “environmentally friendly”.

He says that the “criminalisation” of perc is probably exaggerated. It has not yet been fully proved to be carcinogenic and with the latest generation perc machines, solvent emission is really low (less than 100parts per million).

Hydrocarbon solvents are classified as a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) that combine with other air pollutants (specifically oxides of nitrogen) to create ozone smog when it escapes into the air. “So it is not true to say that hydrocarbon is a safe solvent.”

According to Peter Wennekes at Cinet, the International Committee of Textile Care, perc is still the most important solvent in Europe, although there is a slow but continuing shift to hydrocarbon and wetcleaning.

However, he believes that environmental pressure in western Europe will lead to a growth in systems using hydrocarbon, GreenEarth (particularly in the UK and Belgium) and liquid CO2 (particularly in the Netherlands and Germany).

Stable situation

According to Hartmut Paul Kokerbeck of Multimatic in Germany, hydrocarbon and perc machines both sell well. “We enjoy stable regulations regarding perc and hydrocarbon solvents. There is no discussion any more about “alternative solvents,” he says.

Hydrocarbon machines sell in greater numbers because of the price. The latest generation of perc machines are expensive as they have sophisticated environmental controls and more complicated to install. Requirements may include air ducts above the rooftops.

Alessandro Trippa, sales director for the Italian manufacturer Maestrelli, says the company produces machines for perc and for hydrocarbon/silicon solvents.

He says the latest generation of perc machines are the safest ever, and the take-up of alternatives in Europe will remain slow. In some markets, there is little capital available for investment and cleaners tend to want refurbished machines.

Although changes in the USA market are being forced by legislation, he says that the exchange rates make trade prohibitive.

In the UK, some drycleaners who have chosen to switch from perc say it imposes a real financial burden.

Jason Alexander of Renzacci UK, and chair of the drycleaning section of the Society of Laundry Engineers and Allied Trades (SLEAT), says that a drycleaning machine should be seen as a 12 – 15 year investment.

“Drycleaners shouldn’t be looking for the cheapest machine – saving £500 on such equipment means they may not be getting the best machine for them,” he says.

Boni at Italclean says demand for hydrocarbon machines is likely to be stronger outside Europe, but current exchange rates make trade with USA, for example, very slow.

“The regulations obliged many drycleaners to buy hydrocarbon machines, which made several manufacturers happy in the short term as the machines are much more expensive,” says Boni. He adds that in the long term the regulations are also forcing many shops to close because the owner is unwilling to make a further investment. The machines need a much higher loan and banks are unwilling to lend in the current financial climate.

Machines that offer the use of either GreenEarth or hydrocarbon are available from most suppliers. GreenEarth is still classified as a volatile organic compound (VOC) and so falls under the regulation of the SED.

However multifunction machines that offer both wet and drycleaning in one machine have not yet caught on in markets such as the UK as they have in, for example, the USA. UK suppliers say they cannot see a market at present.

Italclean produces the Premium drycleaning machines for use with perc solvent, ranging in capacity from 10 – 40kg.

The company manufactured its first hydrocarbon machine more than 15 years ago and its Dry-Tec range of hydrocarbon solvent covers capacities from 15 – 128kg.

Italclean machines have an inverter as standard. This tunes the motor speed, to meet the needs of the operator, allowing delicate garments to be cleaned without any problems.

Maestrelli produces the Dreamclean series of “Plurisolvent” (hydrocarbon/silicon solvents) drycleaning machines. These have high-speed extraction and are soft-mounted.

It has expanded its Energy line of perc machines to include industrial sizes from 75 – 150lb.

Trippa is dismissive of CO2 cleaning. He saw the development 15 years ago, and yet it is still talked about as the future of drycleaning. “In my personal view, if that is the future, then drycleaning has no future,” he adds.

According to Claudio Bonvicini, sales manager at Ilsa in Italy, the drycleaning industry is beginning to be more optimistic in its outlook. “We have to try to turn difficulties into positive impulses and think of ideas to improve products and services.”

Ilsa’s range includes both perc machines and machines for aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents. It has also developed Ipura, a non-immersion cleaning method, which applies hydrocarbon through the Jet Clean high-pressure solvent injection system. There is no bath, no extraction, and no distillation.

Several Ipura machines are running in Italy, USA, Australia, Germany and the UK.

Bonvicini argues that business can be complicated enough for the small/medium drycleaners without the additional environmental pressure created by perc. He asks if it is worth using an aggressive solvent like perc at a time when garments and accessories require more delicate handling.

Ipura was designed “to meet the realistic requirements of drycleaners”, he adds. It improves the finish. Garments are noticeably free of fabric residue and are less subject to creasing mainly due to the lack of spinning and to the high ventilation pressure used by the system, so less work is required when ironing.

Environmental influence

The environment is the main long-term influence on the market, according to Andreas Klensch, MD and CEO of the Fred Butler Group in Germany.

Concerns such as global warming, extreme weather, species extinction and rising resource prices can no longer be ignored. Consumers are becoming aware of their individual responsibility.

He admits that Fred Butler is not the cheapest drycleaner around, but says it is the only drycleaner to fulfil the requirements of the respective national eco-labels in the Nordic countries and in Germany. “In the past 1.5years we have gone from nearly nothing to cleaning 2million garments.”

Soil contamination by perc is a big problem in Europe, says Klensch. The continuous uncovering of spills, and the costly clean-ups serve as a reminder to legislators and consumers about the hazards of perc, he adds. This also fuels the demand for restrictions.

“In Europe today, we have a range of restrictions, from ever more stringent regulations on the use of perc, to taxes on it or requirements for a phase-out in residential buildings. The trend is clear, and follows the American one.

He believes that if Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to reclassify perc in the second highest carcinogen level is accepted, this trend is sure to accelerate.

The solution being offered by suppliers is essentially going back in time, from chlorinated hydrocarbons to petroleum-based hydrocarbon solvents, he says.

“The verdict of nearly all independent observers – whether Greenpeace, the State of California, EU-funded research or others – has overwhelmingly favoured the CO2 method, as well as wetcleaning, a system that Fred Butler also uses, over the alternatives.”

“We are confident that our method is the greenest one available, and consequently, we are now growing mainly through the franchisees we attract.”

In the USA, there are several significant concerns affecting drycleaning solvents and the future of perc in particular. The carcinogenicity of perc has been a subject of much study and debate over the past 25 years.

A panel of 20 scientists is currently conducting a peer review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) draft risk assessment for perc to update information for its Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), a database of human health effects that could be caused by exposure to various substances.

The EPA draft suggested that perc should be considered a likely human carcinogen, which would place it in the second highest of five categories under EPA’s cancer assessment guidelines.”

However, Steve Risotto at the Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance, representing perc manufacturers, believes that the industry is likely to reach an agreement with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) that will require cleaners to upgrade to 4th generation equipment, phase out co-residential perc cleaners and improve ventilation in other co-located situations.

“We appear to be reaching a similar agreement in the city of Philadelphia where a perc phaseout was also proposed in 2008.”

According to figures from the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute , around 70% of the USA market uses perc. Hydrocarbon is used by 27% and GreenEarth by 2%. There are 20 systems using CO2, eight using Solvair, around 50 using DrySolv (n-propyl Bromide), 50 using the Ipura system (hydrocarbon non-immersion), five using Rynex and 25 relying solely on wetcleaning.

Risotto is not surprised by the interest in alternatives, but “ We're finding that regulators are becoming more cautious about advocating some of them. There is increasing concern about DrySolv (n-propyl bromide) and some concern about Green Earth (D5 siloxane).

“There is also some appreciation for the increasing influence of the International Building Code requirement for sprinkle systems for combustible solvents, which increases the cost of switching to hydrocarbon solvents.”

A five-year projection by the DLI forecasts a decrease in perc and liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) systems, moderate growth for hydrocarbon systems, Solvair (which uses a proprietary solvent and CO2), and GreenEarth (D5 siloxane solvent). The use of wetcleaning for some garments is also forecast to expand. Other methods, such as n-propyl bromide or Ipura, are forecast to show small growth.

Green entry

Procter & Gamble sees non-perc cleaning as a growth opportunity in the estimated $9billion a year USA drycleaning industry.

In September 2008, the company moved into the drycleaning business under its Tide detergent brand and opened three stores in Kansas City, all using the GreenEarth system.

P&G says that after consumer research, it believes its service “can be a step above what consumers enjoy today in the industry.”

The difficult economic times are also a factor, according to Ross Beard, president and CEO of Street’s. The company  introduced its Solvair cleaning system in 2006 following eight years of research.

He says that “governmental activities” including the EPA draft risk review and moves to phase-out perc in states and cities, “are clearly contributing to the growing interest in alternative technologies such as Solvair and High Flash Hydrocarbon products like Df2000 fluid”.

“With the tough economy, an alternative to perc cannot compete merely on being green. A successful drycleaner is looking for a process that also cleans effectively and increases productivity, so contributing positively to a business’s bottom line.

Growing interest

“We believe that we achieve that with Solvair, which explains the growing interest in this new and very different technology.”

More Solvair systems were installed in 2008 and Beard reports that interest among the drycleaning industry continues to grow. The Solvair system now operates in 11 locations, including its first location in Canada, Parkers Custom Clothing Care in Toronto, Ontario. This month, a Solvair system is due to be installed at the USA military base in Okinawa, Japan, the first installation outside North America.

Streets is selling and servicing the entire system—machine, solvent and waste pickup. The cost is currently quoted as $150,000 but Beard thinks that the machine cost could drop to around $90,000, as the system becomes more widely adopted.

He says Solvair owners continue to discover more ways to enhance their business. Lake City Cleaners in Evanston, Illinois and Nu Yale Dry Cleaners in Jeffersonville, Indiana have adopted tiered pricing systems, charging slightly more for garments to be cleaned in Solvair rather than in a traditional process.

“Customers have readily accepted the price difference, despite the slowing USA economy, showing that they are willing to pay more for noticeable quality and a green service,” says Beard.