We’re so used to bringing our laundry to the dry cleaners each time we wish to get a delicate piece of clothing cleaned.
But did you know that most dry cleaners use perc (aka percholorethylene, PCE, tetrachloroethylene, and tetrachloroethene) in the process of cleaning your clothing?
Considered an air and water toxin by the Environment Protection Agency in America, studies have shown that perc is responsible for causing cancer, liver damage, kidney disfunction, reproductive and neurological effects, as reported on EnvironmentalChemistry.com
According to Live Science, dry cleaning first came about in the mid-1800s when Frenchman Jean Baptiste Jolly realised that kerosene had cleaning properties when an accident resulted in some spillage on a tablecloth. Dry cleaning was born and eventually became a heavily-regulated industry when plenty of fires erupted in the cleaning shops.
Greenpeace has said that 70 percent of perc ends up in the air or groundwater.
An ecologically-friendly alternative is to wet clean your clothes.
Singapore finally has it’s first wet cleaners. Located at Telok Blangah, Green & Clean Laundry uses wet cleaning technology, where the cleaning agent is plant-derived.
Do lend them your support!
Image taken from Getty Images
Just wonder how many Singaporean know about dry cleaning and its danger? This is not only harmful to environment but also personal health. Please take this seriously.