In 1995, the Oregon legislature passed a law that gives dry cleaners relief from clean up liability and clean up costs, provided the dry cleaning industry pays fees into a dedicated clean up fund and practices sound environmental management. These requirements will reduce air emissions from the use of solvents, reduce the potential for spills and releases of solvents, promote more efficient use of perchloroethylene, and protect groundwater. Dry cleaners that add on to an existing dry cleaning machine, such as, installing a containment pan or a evaporator may be eligible for pollution control tax credits. Transfer-type systems using perc may no longer be used and must be taken out of service. This requirement provides extra protection to contain leaks and spills.
Solvents can pool and leak into the ground underneath the shop causing major environmental problems.
For example, perc is heavier than water and a spill can go through the pores in concrete and potentially contaminate the soil and groundwater under a dry cleaning store. Containment pans can prevent this from happening. Also, spills and leaks of solvents are easier to clean up in a containment pan. Captured solvent can easily be reclaimed by running it through the dry cleaning machine. Releases of dry cleaning solvents can effectively be controlled with a good equipment leak inspection program, containment pans and prompt clean up of any dry cleaning solvent.