An alternative to dry-cleaning -- which involves the use of the sus pected carcinogen perchloroethylene -- is being actively promoted by a new coalition of cleaning industry groups, environmentalists and the Environment Protection Agency in the US. Called 'wet-cleaning', the technology is currently undergoing trials in Chicago and Los Angeles. Perchloroethylene or perc has been linked to cancer and other neurological disabilities, apart from being listed as a major air pollutant. Wet-cleaning machines use water and special pH-neutral detergents in place of the conventional drycleaning solvents ( Environmental Science and Technology , Vol 30, No 7).
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