Summary and conclusions

Kortlægning af hjælpe- og tilsætningsstoffer i danske renserier før og nu

In Denmark textiles have been dry-cleaned for almost 175 years, i.e. through the use of solvents as cleaning fluid.

The development in the dry-cleaning sector has led to an increased use of ancillary substances and additives such as cleaning intensifiers stain removers etc. The chemicals in the ancillary substances and additives are relatively different from the dominant (characterising) cleaning fluid.

Objective and procedure

The objective of this project is to clarify the use of chemicals by dry-cleaners from 1975 until today. The focus is mainly on dry-cleaners using trichloroethylene.

Information on the use of chemicals by dry-cleaners in the period from 1975 to 2003 was obtained from dry-cleaners as well as suppliers and manufacturers of chemicals for dry-cleaners. Information was also obtained from two German research institutions in the dry-cleaning area.

Only few data before the period around 1992

The majority of the information obtained came from the manufacturers. Therefore, it has not been possible to divide the information into types of dry-cleaner.

The resulting information is considered to represent the use of chemicals by Danish dry-cleaners in the period from around 1992 to 2003. The information is limited for the period before 1992.

The information obtained is limited because the manufacturer has no duty to give information on the contents of all substances. The concentration limits by which the substance is to be declared depend on the health effects of the substance. At present, the concentration limits are between 0.02 and 5 per cent, depending on the properties of the substance, cf. Executive Order no. 329 of 16 May 2002 on classification, packaging, labelling, sale, and storage of chemical substances and products.

From the information obtained here, we can establish that the consumption of ancillary substances and additives has been increasing in the last 20 years or so, based on the wish to improve the quality of dry-cleaning. In the same period, the consumption of cleaning fluids has declined.

From the results of the analysis, the consumption of ancillary substances and additives for the period from around 1992 to 2003 is estimated to constitute 60-95 per cent of the total chemical consumption by dry-cleaners using trichloroethylene. For the period from 1975 to 1992, consumption of ancillary substances and additives is estimated to constitute a smaller percentage of the chemical consumption - approximately 30 per cent of the total chemical consumption.

Information from safety datasheets

Based on information from the manufacturers, 104 products used by dry-cleaners in the period from around 1992 to 2003 have been identified. For these products, a total of 338 substances have received a declaration, corresponding to approximately three substances per product.

From the information on the safety datasheets, we can establish that the chemicals used in ancillary substances and additives by dry-cleaners in the period around from 1992 to 2003 mainly include solvents such as glycols, glycol ethers and hydrocarbons. In addition to this, there are tensides and other emulsifiers.

Chlorinated solvents are primarily trichloroethylene in the trichloroethylene cleaning fluid, but are also declared as contents in, for example, impregnation products.

The fate of chemicals in the environment

Information is limited on the importance of other chemicals than the characterising cleaning fluid in relation to, for example, dispersion patterns and possibilities of preventing dispersion.

Recommendations in connection with future pollution studies

If, in connection with the preliminary environmental studies, heavy pollution due to dry-cleaning was to be recorded with a pollution scenario derogating from the expected scenario, it should be considered whether this may be due to ancillary substances and additives. A different pollution scenario than the expected scenario means that other volatile pollutants than the cleaning fluids have been detected, or there is a presence of tensides and non-volatile components. In such circumstances we recommend estimating whether the study should be extended to clarify the use of ancillary substances and additives by the dry-cleaners as well.

For example, the study may be carried out by extracting 2-3 groundwater samples and 2-3 soil gas samples near the contaminated site and by making screening analyses of these samples. The methods used should ensure a minimum detection limit of 1-10 µg/l.

The choice of investigation and analysis method should be adapted to the risk areas and the considerations the investigation and analysis study aims at clarifying.

The pollutants found should be assessed on the basis of historical information on the study site and the risk areas which are to be assessed in the relevant study. If necessary, all or selected components should be included in the further studies.

Such studies will improve the level of knowledge of the types of chemicals used in polluted dry-cleaning sites, and the chemicals’ importance for the dispersion pattern and possibilities of preventing dispersion of the main cleaning-fluid pollution.