According to the European Union’s Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER) review of perc, the EU risk assessment report on tetrachloroethylene “covers all studies relevant for exposure and hazard assessment” of the solvent.
Tetrachloroethylene is a manufactured chemical that is widely used for drycleaning of fabrics and for metal-degreasing. Other names for tetrachloroethylene include perchloroethylene or perc.
The risk assessment report considered six scenarios (typical and “realistic, worst-case”) for occupational exposures, with drycleaning as the major application, in addition to exposure to consumers from drycleaned clothes and exposure to individuals living or working in the vicinity of drycleaning facilities. The committee concluded there is “no need . . . for risk reduction measures beyond those which are being applied already.”
SCHER members agreed with the report’s recommendation for additional occupational exposure reduction to address the worst-case (but not typical) exposure scenarios, taking into account measures that are being applied already.
The committee also agreed with the recommendation for a reduction in exposures from coin-operated drycleaning machines that continue to operate in some parts of Europe (there is no coin-operated drycleaning in the USA).
Details of the report can be found on website of the Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance, the industry body.
