Dry Cleaning Facilities
This section of our website was developed to assist owners and operators of Dry
Cleaning facilities understand the regulations of perchloroethylene or “PERC”, the
dominant chemical solvent used in dry cleaning.
PERC is a toxic chemical and a suspected carcinogen with both environmental and
human health concerns. Dry Cleaning facility owners should strive to provide the
safest environment for workers and a clean environment around the facility (land,
air, and water). To learn more, see OSHA’s Reducing Worker Exposure to PERC in Dry Cleaning.
Dry Cleaning facilities using PERC are subject to Federal rules called the National
Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). Compliance with these
Federal rules and regulations governing the dry cleaning industry will reduce exposure
of workers and customers to PERC. It will also save the owners money since proper
maintenance and preventing leaks and spills leaves more PERC to be reused in the
machines.
Dry cleaning facilities in Forsyth County using PERC must register their facilities
with the Environmental Affairs Department.
In Forsyth County, the Forsyth County Environmental Affairs Department (FCEAD) inspects
Dry Cleaning facilities for compliance with NESHAP, air quality rules required under
the Federal Clean Air Act. The Dry Cleaning
Solvent Cleanup Act (DSCA) program, operated by the State of North Carolina’s
Division of Waste Management, inspects Dry Cleaning facilities for compliance with
waste management rules and housekeeping requirements under the DSCA program. In
accordance with Federal obligations, FCEAD issues notices of violations and civil
penalties to facilities that are not in compliance with NESHAP. Occasionally, FCEAD
will operate joint inspections with agents from the DSCA program. This has allowed
FCEAD agents to become more familiar with State waste management and DSCA requirements.
When schedules or frequency of inspections do not allow for joint inspections, waste
management and DSCA related problems will be directed to the State should our inspectors
find them during annual air quality inspections.