The Political, Environmental, and Economic Impact of the Dry-cleaning Industry

The dry-cleaning industry relies on solvents to perform the cleaning, and there are several environmental issues that result from the use of these solvents, which are dangerous to human and environmental health. These solvents are regulated by several agencies, but pollution can still be found in at least 75% of active drycleaners. This pollution is very expensive to remediate, and would put most drycleaners out of business unless they are in the Dry-cleaning Solvent Cleanup Program, which is a State Government program in Florida that finances the remediation costs for these businesses. I will analyze literature on the environmental impacts of dry-cleaning solvents, the economic burdens that the industry places on our society, and the policies regulating the dry-cleaning industry. There are several viable alternatives for operation, solvent choice, and regulation methods that would greatly improve the quality of the environment and the health of humans who are involved with the industry.