LOWELL, Mass. — The Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) at the University of Massachusetts — Lowell awarded Best Neighborhood Cleaners of Medford, Mass., an $18,000 grant to help it discontinue the use of perchloroethylene and demonstrate wetcleaning technology to other drycleaners.
The grant helped fund the purchase and installation of wetcleaning equipment at the store, which had previously sent all garments off-site to be cleaned in a perc system.
Thuy Nguyen, owner of Best Neighborhood Cleaners, installed a wetcleaning washer, dryer, and tensioning equipment, and is holding demonstrations to showcase the technology to other cleaners. The next demonstration is Dec. 10, with two more scheduled for spring 2010.
“I am very happy to be using this equipment in my shop instead of sending clothes out to be cleaned in perc,” says Nguyen. “I operated two perc facilities in the past, and this technology is much safer for me and my staff, my customers, and the community.”
Best Neighborhood Cleaners will collect cost and performance data so TURI can analyze the information and use it to encourage other drycleaners to convert to wetcleaning.
“We’re excited that the diffusion of this technology is starting to take hold in Massachusetts,” says Joy Onasch, TURI’s community program manager. “California has converted more than 100 facilities to dedicated wetcleaning, and we’d like to catch up to them, even if it is one cleaner at a time.”
Anyone interested in attending a demonstration can contact Onasch by phone at 978-934-4343 or e-mail [email protected].
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