The framework directive would have compelled every drycleaning and laundry site that uses perc or had done so in the past to test the land for historic contamination, and pay for the clean up where contamination was found.
TSA says that the directive took no account of the sector's size or the low volumes of solvent that might be involved and that the costs were totally disproportionate to any environmental benefit.
Chief executive Murray Simpson congratulated the Government and Defra on their action in blocking the directive and pointed out that it duplicated existing legislation, but would have proved so expensive that it would have caused many businesses to close as well as unnecessarily damaging all former drycleaning sites.
He warned however that the industry must stay alert to ensure the measure was not introduced in the future.
