Willoughby Council has undertaken an environmental audit of Dry Cleaning and Laundromat businesses located within the City of Willoughby. The program, aimed at assisting businesses to become more sustainable, addressed chemical storage, air quality, waste practices stormwater pollution and trade waste-water. Businesses were also provided with information on water reuse, energy efficiency measures, recycling and using alternative chemicals.
All 15 businesses in Willoughby were inspected and, after adhering to a schedule of works and followup inspections, have complied with Willoughby’s environmental standards.
Willoughby Council is now encouraging all of these businesses to stop using the primary chemical used in the dry cleaning process, Perchloroethylene (Perc). Perc, the main solvent used to clean clothes, is a suspected carcinogenic substance and can be replaced with newer cleaning technologies that are cheaper and more viable. You can download Council's report 
Use of Perchloroethylene in Dry Cleaners - 32 KB .
So far three businesses have eliminated the use of Perc from their operations. One business has even committed to stop using Perc in all their 9 stores across Sydney. Ask your local dry cleaner if they have stopped using Perc in their cleaning processes.
Perc is also present in some consumer cleaning products, as well as other substances that can have a negative affect on the environment and your health. Willoughby Council recommends the use of natural cleaning products in the home.
Click here for some tips on cleaning using natural products.