Gabrielle Saveri, UCLA's expert on sustainable
technology, has published an article in Holistic Healing News
entitled Dry Cleaning and Toxicology.
In that article, she questions the use of perchloroethylene (aka
perc) and synthetic petroleum and the marketing of synthetic
petroleum, as an
"organic" or "eco-friendly" alternative to
perc.
She also questions the use of
siloxane as an alternative to perc and synthetic petroleum. She
states that siloxane poses it's "own set of risks," despite the
fact that siloxane has been used for decades in personal care
products you've been dripping into your eyes and rubbing onto the
most sensitive parts of your skin for over 30 years. Products such
as shampoo, antiperspirants, deodorants, moisturizing creams,
sunblocks and lipsticks.
What's more, if you've ever eaten McDonalds' french fries,
you've even eaten siloxane (used as an antifoaming agent in cooking
oils).
Gabrielle's mostly got it right. I could take issue with a few
points but they are relatively minor relative to her main point:
Forget the creative buzz words. Focus instead on the specific dry cleaning solvent
or fluid your dry cleaner uses, and the pros and cons of that
solvent or fluid.
How can I help you?