Massachusetts Ban back on the Table!

Once again the Massachusetts legislature is set to debate a bill that would in effect ban the use of perc in the commonwealth along with 9 other chemicals.  This is essentially the same legislation that is making its third go around.  Every year it gains a little more support, and this year it looks like it already has a majority of the legislature behind it.  With a new Governor in place as well, the whole political climate in the state has changed.  The industry has a tremendous fight on its hand.   NEFA, IFI, NCA, HSIA, MCTA, AIM and others are all working together to combat this threat.  This is a time when the industry has to all pull together and work for the common goal.

There have been a few changes in the past year that could work in the industry’s favor in the attacks vs. Perc.  First, the legislature last year commissioned a Alternative Assessment Study of Perc and 4 other chemicals that appear on the ban list.  While some of the assessments were less than favorable, NEFA was able to temper the assessment on perc, and get s few concessions into the report.  The assessment couldn’t conclude there were any perfect, or even any greatly beneficial and workable alternatives to perc.  Each of the potential alternatives studies had problems associated with them. 

Secondly, the recently promulgated federal NESHAP regulation already has a phase-out of perc used in the most controversial of situations:  drycleaners co-located with residences.  Since the federal rules already calls for an effective ban in these situations, is there really a need to go further? Continue to Next Page