Pittsburgh-area dry cleaners react to EPA chemicals ban
triblive.com
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David Pratt felt relieved upon learning that the Environmental Protection Agency banned two known carcinogens used in consumer products and dry cleaning. Environmental advocates pushed for the banning of some of the chemicals for over 30 years, he said. Both have been used since the early 1900s. "It means that
TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. David Pratt felt relieved upon learning that the Environmental Protection Agency banned two known carcinogens used in consumer products and dry cleaning. Environmental advocates pushed for the banning of some of the chemicals for over 30 years, he said. Both have been used since the early 1900s. "It means that the EPA is paying attention to the environmental hazards of chemistry, and that's a huge plus," said Pratt, a retired chemistry professor at the University of Pittsburgh. "A big problem is that the industry carries a lot of political weight, so the fact that EPA stood up is very impressive." The EPA banned TCE, or trichloroethylene, which is found in degreasing agents, as well as furniture and auto repair products, and PCE, or perchloroethylene, which is an industrial solvent in processes like dry cleaning and auto repair, as of Dec. 9. "It's about time," Pratt said. "I'm first and foremost a chemist who cares about the environment. "To see these chemicals continually being used despite all evidence that they're harmful is really quite upsetting." Perc is toxic to the nervous system and reproductive system, as well as an environmental pollutant, the EPA said. TCE is associated with cancers like Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia and kidney and liver cancer. It's also toxic to the nervous immune and reproductive systems. Perc can biodegrade into TCE. Perc in dry cleaning Perc, or…