AZ ALTERATION & CLEANERS only uses non-toxic biodegradable chemicals through a hydrocarbon dry cleaning process. This is much safer for you and the environment.

Why we DO NOT use Perc!

Of the 35,000 dry cleaning business in the U.S., 85% still use the toxic solvent perchloroethylene (perc) known to cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, and which has been linked to reproductive problems, including miscarriage and infertility in men, as well as disorders of the central nervous system. 

If these health risks aren't enough, the International Agency for Research in Cancer has labeled perc a probable human carcinogen, as has the EPA in a recent Cleaner Technology Substitutes Assessment. Due to this extensive laundry-list of health concerns, and many other environmental concerns such asair and water pollution, dry-cleaning consumers can make a significant contribution by choosing healthier, greener alternatives to perc. 

Perc is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and exposure carries risks to both those who work in the dry cleaning industry as well as consumers. 

People who wear one dry-cleaned garment one day a week over a 40-year period could inhale enough perc "to measurably increase their risk of cancer" by as much as 150 times what is considered "negligible risk." Perc exposure has been shown to cause liver cancer in mice and kidney cancer in malerats. According to California's South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), people who live near dry cleaners have a higher risk of cancer than those who live near oil refineries or power plants. Perc is classified as a hazardous air contaminant by the EPA and must be handled as a hazardous waste. 

70% of all perc used in the United States ends up in the environment, contaminating ground and drinking water.  Because of this, dry cleaners that use perc must take special precautions against site contamination; landlords are becoming increasingly reluctant to allow drycleaners to operate in their buildings. When released into the air, perc can contribute to smog when it reacts with other volatile organic carbon substances. 

California passed a ban on perc in January 2007, beginning a 15-year phase out of chemicals and equipment. By 2023, no dry cleaner in the state will be allowed to operate with perc.