Wednesday, 24 April 2019

Adverse Effects Of Laundering At Dry Cleaners

By Ann Hill


Laundry is a millennia old household activity. It used to be using only water but as time passes, soaps and then detergents are used along with it to clean the stains on the clothes. In recent years, dry cleaners Apopka are popping up at each corner.

Dry cleaning does not really use dry methods to clothes. Their difference with regular laundry is the use of water. This method combines washing machine and dryer with some differences. This method does not use any water, however uses liquid solvents. It is put in the dry cleaning machine and gets soaked in liquid solvents. The solvent is then drained for reuse as the clothes continue to stumble around to dry.

These shops however have some drawbacks. This is both non economical and non environmental. Their liquid solvents have some compounds in it that are bad to health and to Mother Nature.

Money is obviously an issue here. This method is a bit costlier than the regular washing machine people have in their homes and at regular laundry shops. This is because the customer pays for the costly solvent they are using. Though it is being filtered for reuse after each session, it does not erase the fact the solvents are from expensive chemicals.

One known chemical solvent in this business is PERC, short for perchloroethylene. This is a nonflammable and synthetic solvent developed in the 1930s. It was later on discovered that this is a highly toxic chemical that affects the health of a person and the environment.

OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration made a statement wherein exposed people have higher risks in their health. Small contacts may even bring these risks because it is highly carcinogenic. Symptoms are temporarily triggered from mild exposure.

There are scientific studies that adverse health effects have been found most common to those working with the actual cleaning process. They are constantly exposed to these chemicals that they have experienced headaches, muscle incoordination, visual impairments, and skin blisters. Those are only mild in comparison to the severe side effects like developing cancer cells and damaging the nervous system.

Risks in the environment happen especially when they do not properly dispose the chemicals after use. It can spread via land, water, and air. Take spillage for example. Even one drop of PERC on the ground will get it seeped into the soil to the water reserves underground. That drop can also get carried away by the wind and get inhaled by an unsuspecting person.

Some shops have gone and applied a green movement. They use liquid carbon dioxide as a liquid solvent to clean clothes safely. Still, carbon dioxide is harmful to the health. If not duly regulated, then it makes the liquid unsafe for use. High concentrations creates acidic odor when inhaled can cause dizziness, headaches, rapid breathing, and stinging on the nose. Frostbites may also occur when contact with the skin due to its cryogenic property.




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