Overview: tetrachloroethylene (PERC) regulations

This page is about the regulation of tetrachloroethylene (PERC) for its use and sale in the dry cleaning industry. These Regulations also include reporting requirements for the importation and recycling of PERC for any purpose. PERC is also regulated for use and sale for solvent degreasing under the Solvent Degreasing Regulations.

Tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene and commonly called PERC or PCE, is a chemical used in Canadian dry cleaning and other industries such as textile mills, chemical production and vapour degreasing. PERC is on the List of Toxic Substances, Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. Exposure commonly happens through contaminated air or water, including groundwater.

Environment Canada has developed the Tetrachloroethylene (Use in Dry Cleaning and Reporting Requirements) Regulations (“PERC Regulations”) to reduce the release of PERC from dry cleaning facilities. The PERC Regulations achieve this by:

1. requiring more efficient dry cleaning machines that recover more PERC from the dry cleaning process
2. preventing PERC spills
3. managing the way residues and waste water containing PERC are collected and disposed of

You can read a short background on the PERC Regulations here.

These Regulations apply to various parties involved in the supply, use and disposal of PERC, including:

• owners and operators of dry cleaning machines that use PERC
  • view a video about handling PERC and PERC waste
• importers of PERC into Canada
• sellers of PERC used in dry cleaning machines
• recyclers of PERC