The New Kid On The Block

DrySolv, has been the topic of a lot of conversation lately. Everyone that has heard about it either has questions or has been told stories about it. My hope is to provide some information to the membership so that you can search out more knowledge and make a decision. I have done my research and may come across supportive of the product in this article. That is not my intent. As they say, “just the facts.” ...read more

Cleaners Re-opens After Explosion:

A natural gas leak has been ruled out as the cause of an explosion that occurred inside a Park Ridge dry cleaners last week. ...read more

Explosion rocks dry cleaners in uptown Park Ridge

An explosion Tuesday afternoon inside a Park Ridge dry cleaners shattered windows and injured two people working inside. The blast originated from a piece of dry-cleaning equipment in the rear of Holt Cleaners, 29 S. Fairview Ave., about 1:30 p.m., said Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Sorensen. ...read more

The Ozone Productivity of n-Propyl Bromide VOC - 2008 whitten paper published .pdf

Click title above for full PDF.

Darkness Gathers as EPA Proposes New Classification for Perc.

The horizon for perc users could grow dimmer if the U.S. EPA’s new toxicological review of perc makes it out of draft form as-is. Three weeks ago the EPA issued its updated, draft toxicological review of perc. According to a Washington report, David Bussard, director of the Washington Division of EPA’s National Center for Environmental Assessment, said perc should be classified as "likely to be a human carcinogen" and as causing neurological problems based on new human studies, a new understanding of how perc moves through the body, and new laboratory animal cancer tests. "This possible reclassification could impact the industry in a devastating way," said Mary Scalco, Senior Vice President of DLI. "This would effectively raise the EPA’s risk assessment of the chemical leading to tougher cleanup standards, and possibly stricter worker exposure standards." The June 26 assessment states that 10 laboratory animal studies found that perc causes cancer when inhaled or ingested and that human studies found an association between exposure to the solvent and a slight increase in cancer "although a causal association has yet to be definitively established." EPA will accept comments for 90 days, then the National Academy will peer review the report. The industry will definitely be submitting comments on this material.

Canadian Ministry of Health Gives Unfavorable Review of Siloxanes

The Canadian Ministry of Health and Environment issued a draft screening assessment for a number of chemicals including silicon based chemicals D4, D5, and D6. GreenEarth’s solvent is D5. The assessment claims that the silicon chemicals are persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic. It also suggests these chemicals behave like persistent organic pollutants, may have long-term harmful environmental effects, and should be looked at for elimination from the environment. The Canadian draft study also says the siloxanes do not pose a threat to human health at the quantities they are entering the environment. DLI CEO Bill Fisher met with GreenEarth execs Tim Maxwell and Jim Douglas at Texcare in Frankfurt, Germany, right after the information was made public. Maxwell and Douglas said they were blindsided by the Canadian announcement and will do everything they can to separate D5 from the other silicone chemicals in the Canadian assessment.

"GREEN" DRY CLEANER BANS TOXIC SOLVENT

Dollar Wise Quality Cleaning has become the first dry cleaner in Winnipeg to "go green" and ban the use of traditional highly toxic dry cleaning solvent. Shane Johnston, general manager and co-owner of Dollar Wise, a 10-year old Winnipeg company, said it is part of a growing trend among dry cleaners to use less toxic chemicals like DrySolv, a patented, stabilized n-propyl bromide mixture. He figures that less than 10 percent of the Canadian industry uses the new, more environmentally friendly product. But even so, he said he does not believe there are any business risks in being such a trail blazer. ...read more

Is DrySolv Right for Me? PART 3

Last month I had not received the proper gaskets for my BowePermac P300 to give you a true reading on solvent mileage. I am happy to report that the gaskets needing replacement have been installed, tightened appropriately and are containing the solvent and vapors without leaking. ...read more

Is DrySolv Right for Me? PART 2

The decision to convert my ten year old Bowe Permac P300 to DrySolv was made in mid October. I was quickly approaching the point that I would have to order more PERC and decided it was time to try this new solvent. It wasn't without a little anxiety that I called Joe Bays at Pacific Fabricare Equipment, the distributor of DrySolv. After all, this was going to be a major change in the way I operate my business. Joe assured me that I would have complete support from DrySolv for the transition and put me in contact with Joe Iannarelli, a long time DrySolv user and representative for the company. Joe has been using DrySolv for the past two years at his Fi-Del Cleaners in Pittsburg Pennsylvania. With over one million pounds cleaned in his three 50lb. Columbia machines, Joe was a wealth of information and help in the conversion. We scheduled October 30 as the day for the change. Prior to that, I would need to have my machine cleaned out of all PERC, filters bypassed, fill it with DrySolv and a new program entered into the microprocessor. I hired Jim Butler, my regular repairman, to help with this part of the project. I could have easily done this without extra help but it's not something I do every day and wasn't comfortable going it alone. The extra help made things much faster and easier. I should add here that the odor of the solvent, while strong is in no way offensive. It has an almost rubbing alcohol scent. My CSR said it reminded her of a doctor's office. Not a bad smell for a dry cleaner! I was given the following program to install, understanding that every machine is unique and we would adjust it as needed: ...read more

Is DrySolv Right for Me? PART 1

I have used PERC for the last 25 years of my career and it has served me well. When I purchased my cleaning machine ten years ago I had the option of choosing a PERC or Hydrocarbon machine. At the time, there were no other options. Hydrocarbon meant a substantially higher investment for a product I was unfamiliar with. It also meant additional maintenance and because it is not as strong as PERC, a larger capacity machine was required to keep up with production due to its longer cycle times. At that time, I had been a Certified Environmental Drycleaner , (CED), for three years. My customers had come to accept that it was all they needed to be assured their clothes were being cleaned in a safe manner and no harm would come to the environment or them personally. PERC was clearly the choice for me. But times change. ...read more

DrySolv’s primary component receives SNAP approval from the federal EPA.

As of May 30th, 2007 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that the primary component of DrySolv, n-propyl bromide (nPB), is an acceptable substitute for replacement of ozone depleting solvents. The Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program reviews alternatives to ozone depleting substances and approves the use of alternatives that do not present a substantially greater risk to public health and the environment than the substance they replace or than other available substitutes. ...read more

DrySolv Frequently Asked Questions FAQ.doc

to view a printable version of FAQ, then please click the light blue "FAQ.doc" link after the title above...to view on this page click "read more". ...read more

The New Kid On The Block

The Professional - Ontario Fabricare Association, 9/17/2009

DrySolv, has been the topic of a lot of conversation lately. Everyone that has heard about it
either has questions or has been told stories about it. My hope is to provide some information
to the membership so that you can search out more knowledge and make a decision. I have
done my research and may come across supportive of the product in this article. That is not my intent. As they say, “just the facts.”
Currently, I am the only mechanic in Canada to be directly involved in DrySolv and have
learned a lot since I started to work with it. The first plant in Canada was in Winnipeg and the
owner liked it so much that he became the Canadian distributor. The second plant in Canada,
I did. Marathon Cleaners is a family owned plant in Toronto. They purchased a new Renzacci
dry cleaning machine last December and made the decision to run it on DrySolv. It has been
performing perfectly since that time. I have converted four other plants as of this writing.

DrySolv (also known as NPB, n-Propyl bromide and 1-bromo-Propane) is a dry cleaning
solvent that is creating a buzz in the industry. Some of the rumours out there are true but
most of them are not. It isn’t flammable or corrosive to your dry cleaning machine and plant.
It does break down with water and heat, unless stabilized, and creates acids that will damage
equipment. It isn’t a simple conversion (i.e. drop in replacement for perc) as some might
believe. It is still a chemical and has certain handling requirements and protocols.
It is imperative that you either use DrySolv D (their soap) or DrySolv stabilizer. Otherwise the
chemical WILL break down and create acids.
In order to run DrySolv in a machine (perc or hydrocarbon) you have to do a thorough clean
up and conversion. Most of the gaskets in your machine will not survive being exposed to
DrySolv. Some can be replaced and some will need a custom solution. You will have to
remove all the perc or hydrocarbon from the machine and disconnect the filters.

Perc machines will have to be tweaked and adjusted and hydrocarbon machines will need
some parts changed out. Both will need to be reprogrammed.
I have been in contact with Environment Canada and their statement is “Currently, Environment
Canada does not have any regulations affecting the use of DrySolv in Canada for dry cleaning.”
What does this mean? Basically, DrySolv is built out of chemicals that are all on Environment
Canada’s DSL (Domestic Substance List). This is a list of known chemicals in Canada and
each one has a profile. All chemicals are subject to further testing and none are guaranteed
safe forever. Even coffee isn’t safe these days.
Day-to-day operation is fairly simple but a bit different. Since the solvent is expensive and
leaks have a potential to do damage if they create acids (such as on a hot press head), a
daily inspection is important. A simple leak detector can be purchased from suppliers such as
Cleaner’s Supply that will help to keep the machine tight.
The solvent uses a single bath, no filtration, continuous distillation process (the DrySolv
stabilizer carries over during distillation). The total cycle time is about 28 minutes and the
cleaning is better than anything you have ever seen. When the clothes come out, there are
very few wrinkles and there is no residual odour. The whites are bright and the colours full.
The lint can be discarded and the still water and sludge are not regulated. Since the machine
previously ran perc (even new machines are tested at the factory using perc) it is advised
that you continue to have the sludge hauled away.
Is it for you? I can’t answer this question. The overall operating cost is about the same due to
there being no filters to dispose of and the shorter cycle time (less electricity, steam, water,
etc.) as well as the potential for a smaller machine. This is not a solvent for someone that
wants a care-free system that they can abandon. You have to be in control. Leaks have to
be monitored and repaired promptly, stills have to be cleaned per schedule using a slightly
unique process, garments have to be sorted properly and beads and buttons checked
(similar to perc). You have to keep a diligent eye on the consumption as well or you will go
broke using it.
All the plants that I have done are happy with the results. The short cycle time has provided
them with increased capacity and their pressers feel that the garments are easier to press
and take less time. Where some would launder clothes after dry cleaning to bring the softness
and whiteness back, they no longer have to. The stills stay clean and the base tank is crystal
clear. If you still have an interest in running DrySolv do your homework.

Cleaners Re-opens After Explosion:

5/20/2009

Park Ridge Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Sorensen said the blast, which originated inside a piece of relatively new dry cleaning equipment in the rear of Holt Cleaners, 29 S. Fairview, was either caused by solvents used in the machine or an equipment malfunction. An insurance company is now conducting its own investigation and is working with the business owner, the building's landlord and the machine manufacturer, Sorensen said.
The business has since been allowed to reopen, said Steve Cutaia, of the city's building department. Sorensen said the operator told the fire department that all of the clothing that had been inside the building was sent to another location be cleaned again.

Initially concerned that the explosion might have been caused by natural gas, gas service was cut off for several hours to the dry cleaners, as well as a new pizza restaurant that had just opened next door.
A man and a woman, both operators of the dry cleaners were transported to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital following the explosion, but have since been released, Sorensen said.
A small fire resulted from the explosion, but it was extinguished with a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived. Other than four windows that were shattered by the blast, no damage was caused to the building itself, Sorensen said.

Explosion rocks dry cleaners in uptown Park Ridge

5/14/2009

An explosion Tuesday afternoon inside a Park Ridge dry cleaners shattered windows and injured two people working inside.

The blast originated from a piece of dry-cleaning equipment in the rear of Holt Cleaners, 29 S. Fairview Ave., about 1:30 p.m., said Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Sorensen.

Park Ridge firefighters investigate an explosion that blew out the front and rear windows of Holt Cleaners. (Jennifer Johnson/Staff Writer)

The explosion, which was heard blocks away, shattered the building's large front windows, as well as two smaller windows in the back. As of Tuesday evening, firefighters were still investigating the exact cause of the explosion and whether natural gas or an equipment malfunction was to blame, Sorensen said. A language barrier also hampered the department's attempts to interview employees at the scene, he said.

Gino Rago, of Panino's Pizzeria next door, said he and his brother, Lenny, ran to the cleaners after hearing the explosion. They saw flames coming from the back of the building, and one man's hair was on fire, Gino Rago said.

After the brothers told other employees to get out of the building, Lenny Rago retrieved a fire extinguisher and used it to put out the fire in the man's hair and extinguish the flames coming from the nearby equipment, his brother said.

When firefighters arrived, the fire had been completely extinguished, Sorensen said.

The man who caught fire was transported to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, as was a female employee. Their conditions were not immediately known, but their injuries are not life-threatening, Sorensen said.

Sara Brunetti and Deana Rago, also of Panino's Pizzeria, said the explosion sounded like a plane crashing on top of their roof.

"That's how loud it was," Rago said.

About 20 people were inside the restaurant -- which just held its grand opening Monday -- and all immediately ran outside, Brunetti said.

Gail Haller, executive director of the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce, which is less than a block north of the cleaners, initially thought the loud noise she heard came from the water-main construction taking place in front of her Main Street office.

"Then I heard the sirens -- and they didn't stop," she said.

While some clothes sustained damage -- a pile of what appeared to be ruined men's pants lay near the rear door -- most of the clothing dropped off for dry cleaning was untouched, Sorensen said.

"GREEN" DRY CLEANER BANS TOXIC SOLVENT

Winnipeg Free Press, 4/23/2008

Dollar Wise Quality Cleaning has become the first dry cleaner in Winnipeg to "go green" and ban the use of traditional highly toxic dry cleaning solvent.

Shane Johnston, general manager and co-owner of Dollar Wise, a 10-year old Winnipeg company, said it is part of a growing trend among dry cleaners to use less toxic chemicals like DrySolv, a patented, stabilized n-propyl bromide mixture.
He figures that less than 10 percent of the Canadian industry uses the new, more environmentally friendly product. But even so, he said he does not believe there are any business risks in being such a trail blazer.

"Every dry cleaner in Manitoba is using PERC (perchlorethylene/tetrachlorethylene) except us," said Johnston. "It is taking off like crazy in the U.S. I just don't see any negatives."

Johnston's passion for the cleaner, less dangerous product comes at least partly from his own battle with cancer.
In 2004, Johnston was diagnosed with bowel cancer (he has now been cancer-free for three and a half years). While he was recovering in hospital he wanted to try to figure out how to operate the business in a safer manner.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that PERC may reasonably be considered to be a carcinogen.

Johnston said as well as the environmental benefits of DrySolv -- it requires less hot water (therefore less energy) to operate effectively, it is not an ozone-depleter, does not produce hazardous waste and is not a carcinogen -- it also isn't expensive to switch from one chemical to another. (It is likely to cost the company a little more than $3,000 to convert its three main dry cleaning units.)

The company's first foray into environmentally friendly cleaning products was the introduction of a proprietary phosphate-free, carcinogen-free laundry detergent called ZOP a couple of years ago.

It now retails that detergent in its four company-owned locations and 17 independent altering and tailor locations where it has pick-up and drop-off locations, including the two new Nygard Fashion stores in Winnipeg. They may have the soap on the shelves of major retailers sometime soon.

Johnston said it will take his plant about two weeks to completely switch over to DrySolv, but already customers have been noticing the difference in the feel and look of the garments.

He said that along with all the other good things associated with DrySolv, it appears to do a better job of cleaning the clothes.



Benefits, dangers weighed
Benefits of DrySolv:

It's not a carcinogen, is non-flammable, has no flashpoint, does not contribute to global warming and the waste is non-hazardous

Will work with existing PERC machines.

Has shorter run times/shorter dry times

Has lower dry temperatures (it boils at 70 C (32 C lower then PERC)

Dangers of PERC:

Exposure to very high concentrations of PERC can cause dizziness, headaches, sleepiness, confusion, nausea, difficulty in speaking and walking, unconsciousness, and death.
Irritation may result from repeated or extended skin contact with it. These symptoms occur almost entirely in work (or hobby) environments when people have been accidentally exposed to high concentrations or have intentionally used PERC to get a "high."

Much of the PERC that gets into water or soil evaporates into the air. Microorganisms can break down some of the PERC in soil or underground water. In the air, it is broken down by sunlight into other chemicals or brought back to the soil and water by rain.

Is DrySolv Right for Me? PART 3

ODCA News Letter, 2/6/2008

Last month I had not received the proper gaskets for my BowePermac P300 to give you a true reading on solvent mileage. I am happy to report that the gaskets needing replacement have been installed, tightened appropriately and are containing the solvent and vapors without leaking.
Getting decent solvent mileage came down to the still maintenance. With the lower steam pressure the machine would not run the manufacturers program properly and I was losing a lot of solvent in my still sludge. I by-passed the steam regulator and brought the pressure up so that the still would cook out at the required temperature. This resulted in solvent mileage of 1022 pounds per gallon on the high end and 987 pounds per gallon on the low end. I don't think I could ask for anything more than that.

I did have one problem garment. An off white cotton/spandex rain coat with a flocked backing labeled Dry Clean Only. No other instructions. The manufacturer decided that the seams inside this unlined garment should be bound with an orange fabric. Worried about the flocked backing, I ran the coat on what is called a "Splash" load. This is the DrySolv version of a short delicate cycle. When I took the coat out of the machine the orange had bled along every seam. I figured I had nothing to lose so I re-ran it on a regular cycle. All the fugitive dyes were removed and it came out just fine.

I also made some adjustments to the program as an experiment. I shortened the wash cycle by 30 seconds, down to four and a half minutes and extended the dry cycle to seventeen minutes. The complete cycle now finishes in just 29 minutes.

I am extremely happy with my decision to try DrySolv. No need for filter maintenance, reduced waste, shorter running times and ease of use have made my life much easier. I also think with the great solvent mileage, DrySolv will be much more affordable to run than PERC even at the higher price per gallon. I will let you know in the future if my opinion changes, but somehow I don't think that is likely.
Contact Brian Olson at bolson@oregondrycle aners.org.

Is DrySolv Right for Me? PART 2

ODCA News letter, 1/2/2008

The decision to convert my ten year old Bowe Permac P300 to DrySolv was made in mid October. I was quickly approaching the point that I would have to order more PERC and decided it was time to try this new solvent. It wasn't without a little anxiety that I called Joe Bays at Pacific Fabricare Equipment, the distributor of DrySolv. After all, this was going to be a major change in the way I operate my business.
Joe assured me that I would have complete support from DrySolv for the transition and put me in contact with Joe Iannarelli, a long time DrySolv user and representative for the company. Joe has been using DrySolv for the past two years at his Fi-Del Cleaners in Pittsburg Pennsylvania. With over one million pounds cleaned in his three 50lb. Columbia machines, Joe was a wealth of information and help in the conversion.
We scheduled October 30 as the day for the change. Prior to that, I would need to have my machine cleaned out of all PERC, filters bypassed, fill it with DrySolv and a new program entered into the microprocessor. I hired Jim Butler, my regular repairman, to help with this part of the project. I could have easily done this without extra help but it's not something I do every day and wasn't comfortable going it alone. The extra help made things much faster and easier. I should add here that the odor of the solvent, while strong is in no way offensive. It has an almost rubbing alcohol scent. My CSR said it reminded her of a doctor's office. Not a bad smell for a dry cleaner!
I was given the following program to install, understanding that every machine is unique and we would adjust it as needed:
Fill time 1 minute; add 1 to 1.5 ounces of DrySolv D detergent per 10lbs. of clothes.
Wash 5 minutes circulating through button trap. (No Filters)
Drain 30 Seconds to Still set at 10 pounds of steam pressure.
Extract 1 minute 30 seconds to Still.
Set dry time for 8 minutes at 110f and then go into auto-dry.
Cool down 7 minutes to about 85-90f.
Joe B. and Joe I. arrived at the scheduled time and we made two minor alterations to the machine. The pressure relief vent from the water separator was disconnected and we attached the hose we used to fill the machine to run a "closed loop" from the separator to the button trap. DrySolv is much more volatile than PERC and by doing so we are reclaiming solvent that would otherwise be lost through the carbon filter. The last thing we did before running the machine was to close off the drain line from the water separator to the waste water treatment unit. This is done to help reduce vapor loss. A pair of vice-grip pliers made quick work of this and I simply drain the hose once a day and seal it off again. Because DrySolv is volatile even just sitting in the machine, we found that the machine manufacturers start-up program, a short dry cycle, was inadequate to clear the wheel of vapor before the first run of the day. I now use the pre-programmed dry cycle which takes about 14 minutes as my "Good Morning" run. This works extremely well. We loaded the machine with clothes and started it. I have to admit, I was still nervous so I chose to run a dark load first. With a little use behind me I am now comfortable running any classification of load as I need it. Going from dark to light creates no worries as I am using pure, fresh and distilled solvent in every load. This is particularly useful to get the larger loads out first and keep production going.

We made minor adjustments to the program I added and raised the steam pressure to the Still so as to allow for the distillation to be complete by the end of the cycle. We also increased fill time and raised the drying temperature. Each machine will be somewhat different. The goal was to have the complete cycle finish in 30 to 35 minutes, which we easily accomplished. In addition, we added a second, shorter program for beaded and delicate fabrics. I could have done all the work required to convert this machine myself with just a little "tech support" over the phone to help guide and assure me that I was doing things correctly. It really was that easy.
The manufacturer says its solvent works as well or better than PERC. I would counter that by saying it is far superior. I am cleaning everything in DrySolv that I was able to clean in PERC including beaded and trimmed garments. The faster run times have resulted in four loads cleaned in the same time I used to do three. The solvent itself, being stronger, does the cleaning work instead of relying on mechanical action resulting in little or no static or lint. The photo shows the button basket after six weeks. I have not needed to clean it since I began using DrySolv. The lint filter itself is cleaned daily and only has a light layer of dust to remove. The shorter run times and lower drying temperatures also provide less distortion of the fabrics resulting in much faster finishing and I have been able to reduce pressing time by approximately one full hour a day and there is no odor what-so-ever in the finished clothes. Only a clean fresh scent. I have had no problems with redeposition of soils by not using filtration. I have also had no issues with dye transfer or bleeding. Even in a dark load the white cotton linings in the waistbands of pants come out bright white. Of course the white loads come out bright and colors remain brilliant.
I always questioned the amount of waste generated while running PERC. A great deal of it had to be coming from lint and with DrySolv I am generating a fraction of what I was before. With no need for filtration, the monitoring and maintenance of that component has also been removed. As far as spotting goes, it does an exceptional job on greasy food stains, mud and oils. Some prespotting is still required but has been greatly reduced. There is an increase in "sweet" spots due to lack of moisture in the system but with lower drying temperatures they are quick and easy to remove.
The conversion of a ten year old machine to a solvent it was never designed to use has not been without frustration and challenges. DrySolv is extremely volatile and even sitting dormant in the machine vapors will expand. This has resulted in a lot of extra work in making sure the machine is tight. Most of the gaskets only required minor tightening, a little at a time over a few weeks, and have held without a problem. Some have needed replacing. The materials of some of them soften from the vapors and may need to be replaced with viton gaskets. Once they are placed in the atmosphere they quickly dry and go back to their original form. The still gasket is viton and while I purchased an extra there has been no need to replace it. As well, the door gasket is holding fine but I have a spare on hand. I am reminded of co2 machines that need to change out the door gaskets every few loads. I did have to replace the still sight glass and condenser gaskets, but they were ten years old and in need. I also replaced the lint filter/button basket gasket. I think the design of the fitting will be a continual problem and will have a viton gasket made to replace the factory issue. Fortunately, my PERC leak detector works well with DrySolv and its easy to locate where the vapors are coming from. I consider the costs associated with gaskets just a part of the conversion and learning process.
Most users of DrySolv are reporting 900 pounds of clothes cleaned per gallon, some report as much as 1,300. I have not been able to get my gasket issues resolved by the deadline of this article and can only report a high mileage of 576 pounds per gallon. I was advised that I should be able to obtain 700 to 800 pounds easily in my machine and I expect I will achieve that if not better. Look for an update next month. A newer machine designed to use DrySolv will ultimately achieve superior mileage. (See related story below)
In order to answer the question, "Is DrySolv right for me?" I had to try it. It works better and faster than anything now on the market. It has reduced my labor in several areas and with increased solvent mileage is cost effective. Most important to me, it has no negative environmental history and that makes it easy to promote to my customers. DrySolv is not only right for me, but with its relatively small cost to convert a PERC machine may well be the answer so many PERC cleaners are looking for.
Contact Brian Olson at
bolson@oregondrycle aners.org.

Is DrySolv Right for Me? PART 1

Oregon Dry Cleaners Association Newsletter, 12/3/2007

I have used PERC for the last 25 years of my career and it has served me well. When I purchased my cleaning machine ten years ago I had the option of choosing a PERC or Hydrocarbon machine. At the time, there were no other options. Hydrocarbon meant a substantially higher investment for a product I was unfamiliar with. It also meant additional maintenance and because it is not as strong as PERC, a larger capacity machine was required to keep up with production due to its longer cycle times.

At that time, I had been a Certified Environmental Drycleaner , (CED), for three years. My customers had come to accept that it was all they needed to be assured their clothes were being cleaned in a safe manner and no harm would come to the environment or them personally. PERC was clearly the choice for me.

But times change.

Could any of us have foreseen the wave of anti-PERC fear that was to come? Fueled by increasing reports of site contaminations at cleaners and other industrial sites, the media has turned their eyes solely on us. And it sometimes feels like we are being blamed as the single source of pollution on the planet. At the ODCA Convention in 2006, Nora Nealis of the National Cleaners Association told our group, "It will not be
the regulators who determine the solvent you use in the future, it will not be your landlord. Your customer will make that decision". I am now told by customers on a regular basis that I can't be environmental if I use PERC even as a CED. It became painfully clear earlier this year that Nora was right. I now find myself behind the curve instead of ahead of it.

My situation doesn't allow me to consider CO- 2 or the new Solvair systems. I think few cleaners in Oregon could afford to purchase or operate them. GreenEart h systems require an investment in new equipment, more costly solvent, an annual license fee equal to what I now pay in PERC taxes, and additional labor. While I know GreenEarth cleaners who are very happy with their conversion, I know others who were not and have switched to hydrocarbon.

Hydrocarbon could be a good choice. While it is not the environmental ideal and its relative weakness to PERC and longer running times may be a step backwards, it isn't PERC and that seems to be what my customers want. After investigating the cost to purchase a new machine, install it, and the downtime during this period I was prepared to seriously consider changing. Then I found out my PERC machine has practically no value as a trade. This is a problem for me. The machine has been well
maintained, is in excellent condition and has many years of service left. Perhaps I don't want to look at this in an objective way. Perhaps I am letting my emotional attachment cloud my thinking, but I don't care to figure that part out. Five years from now I will probably accept its "lack of value", but not today.

My best solution to the problem would be to keep my existing machine and simply change out the solvent. Until recently, that would not have been possible as no other solvent existed to run in a PERC machine. I had heard about DrySolv , n-propyl bromide, but discounted it as a reasonable choice because of all the negative comments I had been hearing. It was now time to find out exactly what people were saying and then to do my own investigation into what they claimed. What follows are some of those concerns and my own thoughts about them.

"It isn't non-hazardous": Dry Cleaning Technologies, the company that manufactures DrySolv claims that the product is listed as non-hazardous. This is certainly true as it is not listed under the toxic release inventory. It's not regulated by the clean water act, DOT, OSHA, RCRA or HAZCOM. However, one look at the DrySolsv MSDS and one clearly sees you need a healthy respect for the product and how you operate with it.
Is this a negative? Not from my perspective.

When I purchased my hot tub, I was advised to use bromine as a sanitizer instead of chlorine. It is safer and healthier for me. Had I read the bromine MSDS prior to using it I would have been shocked that I was expected to soak in it, yet millions continue to use it daily with no ill effects when used properly.

Oregon DEQ has only one regulation on DrySolv that I could find, According to the Clean Air Department I would have to obtain a Permit if I released ten tons or more into the atmosphere. An unlikely scenario. DEQ has no plans at this time to add further to this. Operating DrySolv in a PERC machine would simply warrant continuing PERC related safety practices. It should be pointed out that, unlike hydrocarbon, DrySolv is non-flammable. It also does not contribute to global warming and is not listed as a carcinogen by IARC, a major concern of dry cleaning customers.

"It's corrosive": Just as PERC is corrosive, so is DrySolv. With the increased solvent mileage from converting to closed- looped machines, many dry cleaners have seen the effects on their equipment as the stabilizers in their solvent break down. DrySolv contains stabilizers also. They are compromised by prolonged exposure to moisture and high heat. A properly operating cleaning machine should not have a moisture problem. The company has also addressed this issue with the addition of
stabilizers to their DrySolv D detergent . I have not seen any PERC detergent claim to add stabilizers.

"It's stronger and more aggressive than PERC": Why this was brought up as a bad thing is beyond me. Because it is stronger, shorter run times are required. It makes more sense to clean in shorter cycles than the longer ones required by GreenEarth and hydrocarbon. Letting the solvent do the work instead of the mechanical action of the machine is much more gentle on fabrics.

"It voids your machine warranty": This one made me laugh. Besides the fact that a ten year old machine wouldn't have a warranty any more, how many of us actually received any benefit from the warranty on our machines when we bought them? The odds of a problem developing within the one year period are rare, only after a few years do problems come up.
Its true, several equipment manufacturers have stated they will not honor their warranties if anything other than PERC is used in their machines, but at least one manufacturer will. This isn't because of the horrendous effects DrySolv has on the equipment, only the lack of testing. I remember when GreenEarth first came out and people were putting it in hydrocarbon machines. The same issue came up. DrySolv is stronger than PERC and during its early use it was discovered that some components on some machines failed after a while. An example is the manufacturer who claims to have an "all stainless steel" still. True, but they fail to mention that they use cast aluminum for the still door. DrySolv quickly eroded it. The makers of DrySolv are aware of these obstacles and are now able to help guide the user through overcoming them. Perhaps machine manufacturers will step up to the challenge and build
machines that will use PERC or DrySolv just as they have with hydrocarbon machines that can use GreenEarth.

"You don't use filters": I have known many a PERC cleaner running successfully without the use of filtration. The thought of removing that part of the equation from the cleaning process is very appealing. The PERC cleaners used detergents specifically designed to help prevent re-deposition of soils. DrySolv's unique properties and shorter running times prevent redep making filters obsolete. Not using filters will reduce maintenance and the shorter running times will produce less lint in the waste stream.

"It stinks": This is subjective. PERC stinks to some and smells good to others. To me, hydrocarbon smells like weak gasoline. Process your garments in clean solvent, regardless of its scent, and the clothes will come out smelling clean and fresh with no trace of solvent smell. Does this DrySolv "stink" remain in the clothes? DrySolv is extremely volatile and evaporates quickly. Any solvent smell would evaporate also. Because you are operating with fresh clean distilled solvent every load there is no chance of fatty acids building up in your tanks and turning rancid, the single major source of odor in freshly cleaned clothes.

"Its a sinker solvent": A sinker is a solvent that weighs more than water. This is exactly why it will work in a PERC machine. This is also why PERC has such a bad reputation now. Had it not been released into the environment and no cleaning plants had contamination under them no one would be taking a second look at it now. Even if DrySolv did get into the environment, the product bio-degrades rapidly and none of these components are associated with cancer.

"Its a step backwards": I have also heard "a step sideways". From the perspective of a GreenEarth or hydrocarbon cleaner or any "alternative" solvent user for that matter, yes, I can see the basis for this comment. From the perspective of a PERC cleaner in my position, and the thousands of others similar to me, quite the opposite is true. Imagine standing at your counter and telling your customer, "No. We don't use "PERC" when they voice a concern. For a small investment instead of forty, fifty or even sixty thousand dollars for a new cleaning machine you
can do just that. In this regard alone DrySolv is a huge step forward.

Is DrySolv right for me? Was hydrocarbon or GreenEarth right for those who chose them? For many it was, for some it didn't work out at all. No one can say which solvent is best for them without actually working with it. I loved Valclene when I started in this business back in the 70's but its long gone now. I love PERC but I fear its days are numbered. I can sit around and wait to see what happens. I can spend tens of thousands on new equipment and risk choosing the wrong solvent for me or I can act on the information I have and try DrySolv.

Next month I will report on the conversion of my PERC machine to DrySolv and the results of operating with this new solvent. I invite your comments and questions.

Contact Brian Olson at bolson@oregondrycleaners.org.

DrySolv’s primary component receives SNAP approval from the federal EPA.

7/9/2007

As of May 30th, 2007 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that the primary component of DrySolv, n-propyl bromide (nPB), is an acceptable substitute for replacement of ozone depleting solvents. The Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program reviews alternatives to ozone depleting substances and approves the use of alternatives that do not present a substantially greater risk to public health and the environment than the substance they replace or than other available substitutes.

“EPA must compare the risks to human health and the environment of a substitute to the risks associated with other substitutes that are currently or potentially available. In addition, the EPA also considers whether the substitute ‘reduce[s] the overall risk to human health and the environment’ when compared to the ODSs being replaced.”

“This final rule lists n-propyl bromide (nPB) as an acceptable substitute when used as a solvent in industrial equipment for metals cleaning, electronics cleaning, or precision cleaning. General metals, precision, and electronics cleaning includes cleaning with industrial cleaning equipment such as vapor degreasers, in-line cleaning systems, or automated equipment used for cleaning below the boiling point. The EPA also does not regulate the use of solvents as carriers for flame-retardants, dry cleaning, or paint.”

“EPA considered the possible impacts of nPB if it were to pollute soil or water as a waste and compared these impacts to screening criteria developed by the Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (EDSTAC, 1998) Available data on the organic carbon partition coefficient (Koc), the breakdown processes in water and hydrolysis half-life, and the volatilization half-life indicate that nPB is less persistent in the environment than many solvents and would be of low to moderate concern for movement in soil… The EPA believes that nPB would not be sufficiently toxic to aquatic life to warrant listing under the Toxics Release Inventory (40 CFR part 82).”

“ The SNAP program has no regulatory effect on the dry cleaning industry, explains DrySolv Product Manager, Ray Roccon. However, I feel it has great significance to the everyday cleaner. I hear all to often the concern that DrySolv is so new that the EPA has not seriously looked it at yet. This SNAP ruling effectively shows that the EPA has reviewed this solvent and has reached an official position on environmental impact and worker safety. The main issue I take away from the SNAP approval is the fact that here we have a solvent that the EPA has scrutinized over for the past 12 years. They have reviewed an extensive amount of information and concluded that nPB is safe when used properly.
Exposure is exposure and a spill is a spill, whether it be in the parts cleaning industry or the dry cleaning industry. We as an industry need to vigilantly continue to police ourselves and use proper solvent stewardship. If we do this, the legacy issues associated with Perc will not be associated with DrySolv.”

For more information on the EPA’s final SNAP ruling on nPB visit:
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/snap/download/nPBfinal.pdf

DrySolv Frequently Asked Questions

6/25/2007

1. WHERE CAN I GET DRYSOLV?
Visit www.dctco.com and click on the "locate a distributor page". Please contact the distributor on that page that will best suit you.

2. ARE THERE ANY LOCAL OR STATE REGULATIONS I SHOULD BE AWARE OF WHEN USING DRYSOLV?
Contact Dry Cleaning Technologies and your local EPA for guidance.

3. WHERE CAN I GET A DRYSOLV M.S.D.S.?
You can download a DrySolv MSDS from the Dry Cleaning Technologies website on the DrySolv Products page.

4. HOW WELL DOES DRYSOLV CLEAN?
DrySolv cleans as well or better than perc. The chemical properties of DrySolv lend itself to being superior in all cleaning categories. DrySolv has a higher Kb (perc 90-DrySolv 130). Kb is ability to dissolve organic soils. This means DrySolv is a better degreaser, but the Kb does not directly relate to the aggressiveness of DrySolv on plastics and beads, it is a chemical incompatibility that destroys plastics and beads. The water- side stains are attacked quicker with DrySolv due to the better water solubility, viscosity, polarity and surface tension. DrySolv “flows” better then Perc, eliminating chaffing, and static. So, it cleans better with a quicker cycle and less energy

5. WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR REMOVING PERC IN AN EXISITING MACHINE AND REPLACING IT WITH DRYSOLV?
The machine must be drained/pumped of all Perc. The still, base tanks, button trap must be scrubbed and cleaned. It is also good practice to clean out the condensing coils. Also, it is good practice to install new gaskets and seals if you have an older machine (Viton A or B-Teflon). The higher evaporation rate and vapor pressure of DrySolv will cause it to escape quickly if there is a leak. It is always best to have your distributor or a licensed mechanic do the conversion and speak with a DCT representative before attempting any conversion.

6. ONCE I HAVE CLEANED OUT MY MACHINE, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET STARTED WITH DRYSOLV?
Order enough DrySolv to fill one base tank, plus 5 gallons for the water separator.
Lower steam pressure on the still to about 8-12 lbs. Lower drying temperature to about 110 to 120 F. Re-program your machine to do the following:

1-minute fill
4-minute wash with circulation through the button trap- add cationic detergent (1-2 oz per 10lbs of clothes)
30-sec drain to still
1.30-minute extract to still
10-14 dry or set auto dry
5-7min cool down

7. DO I NEED TO USE FILTRATION?
No. A cationic detergent and the physical properties of DrySolv will suspend the dirt and carry it away to the still. The low boiling temp (158° F) will only allow for the DrySolv to distil, thus you machine will recover clear DrySolv by the end of each load.


8. WHAT CAN’T I CLEAN IN DRYSOLV?
You can-NOT clean natural rubber in DrySolv. You can-NOT clean suede’s in DrySolv. Any beads or trim should be tested if there is a concern by using a sample can of liquid DrySolv or the DrySolv spray can. Once you have established a trend you will not need to test every time. You can also reference the DrySolv compatibility chart located on the website if you know what the material is made out of.


9. HOW DOES DRYSOLV DISTILL?
DrySolv will distill at 158° F in your still using very little steam pressure. The distillation rate will be around 1.5 to 2 gallons a minute. The distilled DrySolv will be crystal clear and undistinguishable from your original solvent. This clear and rapid distillation process will allow you to use the same base tank for every load.


10. WHAT DO I DO WITH THE STILL WASTE AND IS IT HAZARDOUS?
DrySolv by itself is not hazardous… but your waste may be hazardous due to the residual perc remaining in the system. At some point the perc will be flushed out of the machine reducing your cost, but proper waste handling procedures must always be followed. “Drum Express” is a system designed by Veolia ES, a national waste hauler. They will help DrySolv customers through the whole process step by step. For more information visit their link on the DrySolv website or contact Rudy Vingris at Rudy.Vingris@veoliaes.com

11. WHAT DO I DO WITH THE WASTE WATER?
Continue to treat your wastewater the same as you would with Perc and contact Rudy from Veolia or your local EPA for more guidance.

12. WILL I USE MORE DRYSOLV THEN PERC? MILEAGE?
You will get the same or better mileage with DrySolv than perc as long as your
machine is free of leaks and maintained properly.

13. WHAT TYPE OF SPOTTING CHEMICALS AND SOAP ARE RECOMMENDED?
You can spot the same way as you did with perc, however some spotting agents
may contain perc and will affect your still residue and your waste stream. DrySolv based spotting agents will be available in the near future. Post spotting is recommended because DrySolv by itself will remove many spots leaving mainly "steam offs" after
cleaning. Stains such as coffee, wine, urine, etc. will have to be removed using traditional methods.
As for soap, we recommend DrySolv “D”. It is a specially formulated Cationic detergent that will not only condition the garments, but also condition the solvent. Most all “true” Perc cationic detergents will work well in DrySolv, yet you must be aware of their contents if you are trying to achieve non-hazardous waste.

14. DO YOU GET MUCH STATIC AND LINT WITH DRYSOLV?
Static and lint are greatly reduced with DrySolv because of the shorter cycles and
lower drying temps. Productivity is also increased because of these same factors.

15. HOW LONG IS ONE CYCLE LOAD?
24-36 minutes. All depends on how well your machine dries and condenses solvent.

16. DOES DRYSOLV CARRY ANY SPECIAL ODOR?
Yes, it smells like a solvent. But it is 100 % volatile and the odor will be off the garment before it gets to the presser.

17. CAN I CLEAN LEATHERS IN DRYSOLV?
Yes, with a short 2-minute wash cycle.

18. WHAT DOES A SHORT/DELICATE CYCLE LOOK LIKE WITH DRYSOLV?
We call this cycle a “splash cycle. It works well on fancy beads and trim. It consists of a 1-minute wash with a cooler, yet extended dry cycle.

19. IS DRYSOLV FLAMMABLE?
The simple answer is NO. Multiple tests, by the EPA, Factory Mutual, independent laboratories, and most recently the IFI; have all indicated that DrySolv has no flashpoint and therefore is not flammable. The flammability limits on the MSDS are characteristic of many “non-flammable” solvents. The flammable limits are a ratio of vapor to air in which DrySolv could produce a flash. (This ratio is 3.8 to 9.5 % by volume in air) If the solvent and air ratio are within this limit then theoretically it could flash, yet there are many more factors that must be at play. One such factor is that you would need a very high ignition source, such as a welder’s torch. If all the conditions were right and you created this flash it would immediately be put out by the bromine within the formulation. The main thing to take away from this issue is that DrySolv is not flammable, yet there exists a very small potential for creating a flash. With over 11 years of running in vapor degreasers, and two years in many different types of dry cleaning machines, we have never seen this flash occur and thus the EPA in the federal register has recently listed DrySolv a “non-flammable, organic solvent.”

20. HOW SAFE IS DRYSOLV FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?
DrySolv is not listed or expected to be a carcinogen (IARC)

DrySolv is non-flammable and has no flashpoint
(ASTM D-56 TCC, ASTM D-92 COC, ASTM D-93 TCC).

DrySolv is non-hazardous
(DOT, OSHA, NESHAP, RCRA, HAZCOM, Clean Water Act)

DrySolv is not a hazardous air pollutant and does not contribute to global warming.
(NESHAP, Significant New Alternative Program-SNAP approved (Federal EPA), Not Title V)
“EPA considered the possible impacts of nPB if it were to pollute soil or water as a waste and compared these impacts to screening criteria developed by the Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (EDSTAC, 1998) Available data on the organic carbon partition coefficient (Koc), the breakdown processes in water and hydrolysis half-life, and the volatilization half-life indicate that nPB is less persistent in the environment than many solvents and would be of low to moderate concern for movement in soil… The EPA believes that nPB would not be sufficiently toxic to aquatic life to warrant listing under the Toxics Release Inventory (40 CFR part 82).”

DrySolv does not have a hazardous decomposition or hazardous polymerization.




21. HOW SAFE IS DRYSOLV FOR WORKERS?
DrySolv is non-flammable, and not expected or listed as an carcinogenic solvent mixture. DrySolv is safe to use in many applications. Dry Cleaning Technologies recommends that safe work practices be implemented whenever handling chemicals of any kind to minimize exposure levels and prevent toxic effects. Please refer to the DrySolv Material Safety Data Sheet available for download at www.dctco.com for more specific information on workplace exposure levels, toxicity and personal safety recommendations and contact Sales Manager Ray Roccon at rroccon@dctco.com for more information.