Notice: House Bill 3273 was signed by Governor Kotek on July 13, 2023. The full text of HB 3273 is available on the
Oregon Legislative Information System.
This law will:
- End all aspects of the DEQ Dry Cleaner Program on Jan. 1, 2024.
- Prohibit the use of perc and n-propyl bromide as dry cleaning solvents on Jan. 1, 2028
For more information, reach out to one of the Air Quality Division or program contacts below.
Preventing future contamination
Oregon rules require all dry cleaners to implement waste minimization measures to reduce the amount of dry cleaning solvent emitted to the air and reduce the potential for spills of solvent to soil and groundwater. Reducing spilled and wasted dry cleaning solvent prevents impacts to neighbors and the environment while also saving the dry cleaner money on solvent costs. Dry cleaners must meet the following waste minimization requirements:
Use only acceptable types of dry cleaning equipment.
Manage dry cleaning waste as hazardous waste, unless it has been determined to be non-hazardous.
Manage solvent-contaminated wastewater according to state rules. The rules prohibit discharging solvent-contaminated wastewater to a sanitary sewer, septic system, boiler, on the ground, or to surface water.
Provide leak containment under and around dry cleaning equipment and solvent-containing items.
Submit annual reports of waste minimization and hazardous waste management practices.
Report releases of dry cleaning solvent.
In addition, some additional requirements apply to dry cleaners that use perchloroethylene (perc) solvent:
Use only closed, direct-coupled delivery systems when receiving perc.
Comply with additional air quality monitoring and recordkeeping requirements.
Environmental cleanup
Perc, the most commonly used dry cleaning solvent over the past 50 years, is listed as a toxic chemical because it causes nerve and organ damage and likely can cause cancer in humans. The majority of Oregon's dry cleaners have switched to alternative solvents, which are generally less toxic than perc.
Sites contaminated with solvents must be cleaned up to a level that is protective of human health and the environment and is based on the current and reasonably likely future uses of the land and groundwater. DEQ publishes Risk-Based Concentrations for various chemicals, including perc, to help determine whether site concentrations could pose a risk.