Air management staff had proposed regulations that would ban perc in co-residential sites and impose strict controls, maintenance, regulation and record keeping on drycleaning businesses that use perc in co-commercial locations.
At present the proposals would only affect about 100 cleaners in Philadelphia. However, industry bodies including the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute (DLI), National Cleaners Association (NCA) and the Pennsylvania and Delaware Cleaners Association (PDCA) fear that if Philadelphia adopts the regulations, other authorities could follow suit.
Jon Meijer, DLI membership secretary said that although the air control board did not ban perc in co-commercial areas, complying with the proposed regulations would be difficult for drycleaners. The proposals would practically double the paperwork and in many cases the records required would just duplicate the requirements of regulations with which drycleaners already comply.
The hearing will allow drycleaners to give their views. The board will not comment at the hearing but will then consider whether to take account of these or go ahead with the proposals as planned.
