Nearly 100 people attended. Both the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI) and members of the local drycleaning community set out objections to the Air Management Regulation X14 Control of Perchloroethylene from Dry Cleaning Facilities, although some environmental groups supported the proposed controls.
Jon Meijer of DLI challenged the regulation's record keeping requirements, which he said would “create regulatory havoc and additional paperwork for drycleaners.” He added that much of the requirements duplicated records that drycleaners were already obliged to keep.
Local drycleaners expressed concern about the cost of compliance, pointing out that it could force some businesses to close or to move outside city limits.
One cleaner asked why the board was trying to enforce expensive legislation without offering some kind of financial assistance?
The air management board is now considering the comments made at the meeting to decide whether to continue with the proposed regulation, amend it or scrap it completely.
