Letter to the Editor: Let's keep dry cleaning chemicals out of our environment

As the only clothing care company owner in Holland utilizing 100% wet cleaning practices, I was excited to learn that the Michigan state legislature is aiming to phase out the harmful dry-cleaning solvent perchloroethylene. This cleaning solvent, used to remove stains, poses a significant threat to the public’s health and the health of our ecosystem. Since 1930, perchloroethylene has been used to dissolve organic matter, making it incredibly effective but toxic.

House Rep. Julie Rogers, D-Kalamazoo, has proposed House Bill 4083, which would ban the manufacturing of dry-cleaning solvents containing perchloroethylene starting in December 2031, with sales banned in June 2032, and use banned in December 2032. Historically, dry cleaning properties across Michigan have contaminated soil and groundwater by pouring used perchloroethylene into the ground or storing it in underground tanks that often leaked. Thousands of these sites have been deemed brownfields, utilizing $7 million in taxpayer funds to conduct cleanup efforts.

Having worked in the dry cleaning industry since I was 13 years old, and a lifelong advocate and admirer of Michigan’s freshwater, I find it extremely important that we hold ourselves accountable for protecting our fresh water. As a member of the Great Lakes Business Network, I seek to utilize sustainable business practices and advocate for a healthy planet. The proposed legislation has bi-partisan support and was recently passed by the House Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee and is now awaiting a floor vote.

Wet cleaning, an alternative to dry cleaning, requires much less oversight, prevents harmful pollutants from entering our groundwater, and is economically viable. I hope this will become a more widely used method for clothing care as more individuals become aware of the externalities associated with the dry cleaning industry.

Tami Parks

Owner of Great Lakes Clothing Care

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Letter to the Editor: Keep dry cleaning chemicals out of our environment