PROPOSAL:

Execute Contract to Cost-Share Outreach and Technical Assistance to Transfer Professional Wet Cleaning Technology to the Dry Cleaning Industry

SYNOPSIS:

Occidental College, with UCLA, has proposed a pollution-prevention outreach project to facilitate the commercialization of professional wet cleaning technology. The project would convey the results of a successful demonstration cosponsored by AQMD, of an innovative technology in which over 35,000 pieces of clothing made of different fabrics, marked mainly "dry clean only," were water-washed in computer-controlled washers and dryers. The target audience would include local dry cleaners, national garment manufacturers, and shopping mall owners. The total cost of the proposed outreach project is $194,000. The proposed AQMD cost-share is $76,000.

COMMITTEE:

Technology, September 26, 1997, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Executive Officer to execute a contract with Occidental College in an amount not to exceed $76,000 from the Advanced Technology Fund to cosponsor an outreach project to facilitate the transfer of professional wet cleaning technology to the dry cleaning industry.

Barry Wallerstein, D.Env.
Acting Executive Officer

Background

Perchloroethylene (also known as Perc or PCE), a solvent used by the vast majority of more than 30,000 dry cleaners in the United States, is listed as a hazardous air pollutant by the federal government pursuant to Section 7412 of Title 42 of the United States Code. In October 1991, the California Air Resources Board classified Perc as a toxic air contaminant pursuant to Section 39655 of the California Health and Safety Code. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that Perc be treated as a "potential human carcinogen" and exposure be kept to the "lowest feasible limit." In addition, Perc has been detected in groundwater at several Super Fund sites which, in turn, has escalated the liability risks to ongoing dry cleaning operations and to owners of real-estate malls where such operations are located.

In 1994 Perc was used in over 2,400 dry cleaning machines within the Basin. Regulated under AQMD's Rule 1421, the projected Basin emission inventory of Perc in 1998 is expected to be 4.2 tons per day.

In 1995, under Contract # 95115, using $50,000 from the EPA's Air Toxics program, the AQMD cosponsored a UCLA project to demonstrate and evaluate the feasibility of professional wet cleaning technology. The first wet cleaning facility in the Basin, known as "Cleaner by Nature," opened in Santa Monica in February 1996. The UCLA Pollution Prevention Education and Research Center (PPERC) completed a comprehensive 12-month evaluation of the technical, environmental, energy, and economic feasibility of the wet cleaning operations at Cleaner by Nature.

Over 35,000 mainly "dry clean only" garments, made from a variety of fabrics and blends (silks, wools, rayons, etc.), were successfully water washed. Less than 0.10 percent of the clothes had problems. Ninety percent of the customers surveyed rated Cleaner by Nature as good or excellent. Strong customer support helped increase the firm's revenue growth from about $2,000 in the first month to over $22,000 in its twelfth month of operations. These results are consistent with previous studies comparing controlled wet cleaning to dry cleaning.

The availability of new microprocessor-controlled wet cleaning and drying machines, at costs comparable to traditional dry cleaning machines, have facilitated the success of professional wet cleaning. The software in these new machines enables the operator to both precisely and automatically control a range of factors that affect wet wash of various fabrics, including water-level, water temperature, detergent level, agitation speed, agitation frequency, rinse and drying time.

Proposal

Occidental College, in conjunction with UCLA, has proposed to conduct an outreach program to facilitate the transfer of professional wet cleaning technology to the dry cleaning industry. The objective of the proposed effort would include increasing the awareness of professional wet cleaning among dry cleaners and other industry stakeholders, and provide technical assistance and training in wet cleaning. A key element of the proposed project is targeted outreach to the Korean dry cleaning industry, which makes up 50-70% of the local dry cleaning community.

The proposed outreach effort would include the following:

1. With the help of the Korean Youth and Community Center, set up a Korean professional wet cleaning operation at a Korean dry cleaner site;

2. Produce a video, in Korean, on wet cleaning for distribution throughout the country;

3. Through trade shows, trade magazines, and professional seminars, provide updates on wet cleaning to major stakeholders in the industry, such as dry cleaners, textile manufacturers, garment manufacturers, realtors, regulators, etc. Issues covered would include information on the performance, the environmental and the economic viability of wet cleaning; and on OSHA, air quality and water quality regulations regarding Perc;

4. Lobby garment manufacturers to include professional wet cleaning as an additional option on most "dry clean only" garments;

5. Conduct between 5 to 10 tours of the Cleaner by Nature wet cleaning operation with the major stakeholders;

6. Develop brochures, fact sheets and technical packets to assist dry cleaners to convert to wet cleaning; and

7. Assist raising low-cost loans for dry cleaners to convert to wet cleaning.

The proposed project is included in the September 1997 update of the Technology Advancement Plan within the proposed program, 97S3-5 "Advanced Technologies as Alternative to Dry Cleaning." There are several expected benefits of the proposed project. If the project is successfully implemented, it will encourage existing and new Perc-based cleaners to convert to wet cleaning. It would encourage textile and garment manufacturers to include in their garment labels the wet cleaning option along with the traditional dry cleaning instruction. Owners of shopping malls, to reduce potential liability, may explicitly favor wet cleaning operations over Perc cleaning. Conversion to wet cleaning would assist in substantially reducing Perc, a potential human carcinogen, thereby resulting in a benefit to workers, to neighbors, and to users of the cleaned garments.

Sole Source Justification

Section II, Step 3,(C) of the Consultant Selection Policy and Procedure identifies four provisions under which a sole-source award may be justified: (1) cost to prepare documents exceeds cost for consultant, (2) delay would result in the endangerment of public health, (3) services are only available from sole source, and (4) other circumstances exist identifying sole source as in the best interests of the AQMD. This request for sole-source award is made under provision (3). The proposed project includes several elements that make it unique. The proposal includes several key participants from the earlier successful technology demonstration that are well-acquainted with professional wet cleaning, have established excellent contacts within the dry cleaning industry at both national and local levels, and are, therefore, uniquely qualified to perform this outreach. These participants are listed below:

Professor Robert Gottlieb, the principal in the proposed project. Professor Gottlieb was the principal investigator in the earlier PPERC-UCLA project. He has recently become the Henry R. Luce professor of urban environmental studies at Occidental College, and heads the PPERC activities at the new location. Professor Gottlieb is an author of several published books and peer-reviewed papers on environmental-related issues including toxics and water-quality. Among other achievements specific to the project, he was chiefly responsible for UCLA's agreement with Cleaner by Nature to evaluate the feasibility of wet cleaning, for harnessing UCLA's resources to scientifically evaluate the technology, and for forming an advisory group to monitor UCLA's progress.

The Wet Clean Advisory Group. The advisory group that oversaw the UCLA project consisted of representatives from the California Dry Cleaning Associations, Korean Dry Cleaning Association, Korean Youth and Community Center, garment manufacturers, textile experts, environmental groups, and sponsoring agencies. The advisory group members were a valuable resource for current industry practices, provided advice for conducting the year-long evaluation of the wet cleaning technology, and provided valuable feedback on the direction of the project. Members of the advisory group will provide broad guidance for implementing the outreach strategies for the proposed project at the local level.

Pollution Prevention Education and Research Center, UCLA. PPERC conducted the numerous studies and analysis associated with the wet cleaning demonstration. These included technical, environmental, economic and energy evaluation of both wet cleaning and dry cleaning operations. Consequently, PPERC research associates are thoroughly acquainted with professional wet cleaning and thus uniquely qualified to address the myriad of detailed questions that may arise during the outreach program. In addition, PPERC has established valuable contacts within the dry cleaning industry at both the local and national level. PPERC has become part of the Professional Wet Cleaning Partnership (PWCP), a coalition of major national dry cleaning trade associations such as International Fabricare Institute, Neighborhood Dry Cleaners, Korean Dry Cleaning Association, UNITE, a major labor union that represent workers in the dry cleaning industry, a major Washington D.C. lobbyist for dry cleaners, and the environmental group Greenpeace. PWCP will coordinate the outreach effort at the national level.

Cleaner by Nature. Cleaner by Nature was the host of the successful wet cleaning technology demonstration whose results provide the foundation for the proposed outreach effort. Cleaner by Nature has become an ongoing wet cleaning operation whose revenues have risen from about $2,000 in the first month to over $22,000 in the twelfth month of operation. It was the host of numerous tours, and will remain so in the proposed project. Visitors will be able to see, first-hand, an actual wet cleaning operation using state-of-the-art computer controlled washers and dryers.

Korean Youth and Community Center (KYCC). KYCC collaborated with PPERC throughout the technology demonstration phase, and has strong contacts among the local Korean dry cleaners who make up from 50-70% of the local dry cleaning community. It has extensive experience with providing business assistance, including assistance in dry cleaning issues. Using matching funds from EPA, KYCC will collaborate with PPERC to manage the specific task of conducting a wet cleaning operation at a Korean dry cleaner site.

Resource Impacts

The total cost of this proposed project is estimated to be $194,000. The breakdown of the cosponsors and estimated support is as follows:

Sufficient funds are available in the Advanced Technology Fund to cosponsor this project in an amount not to exceed $76,000.

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