Putting on your fresh, dry-cleaned clothes, have you ever noticed that sweet odor? It is not enough to bother many people, and after a few minutes as you rush off to work you likely will forget about it, but it’s not something that should be forgotten: it is toxic, it is chemical, and you are wearing it next to one of your body’s most sensitive organs: your skin. … 

PERC, long used as a solvent in dry cleaning, can cause dizziness, headaches, nausea, and irritations of the skin, eyes, nose and throat in some people. It has also been linked, in high doses, to ground water contamination as well as liver and kidney damage and cancer in humans. But now there's a non-toxic alternative. More and more dry cleaners are going organic, using a food-grade level of carbon dioxide instead. Carbon dioxide is normally a gas at room temperature. But put under high pressure, it converts into a liquid and can act as a carrier of biodegradable soaps in much the same way that water does in a washing machine. And when the dry cleaning cycle stops, it turns back into a gas, much of which is reused. Clothes cleaned in this organic process dry instantly, are cool to the touch and have no odor. It's better for the consumer as well as those who work in the local store and the organic cleaning plant. An added plus: there's no shortage of carbon dioxide in the world, and these machines operate at lower temperatures, saving energy

Tetrachloroethylene (Perc) is widely used for dry-cleaning fabrics and metal degreasing operations. The main effects of tetrachloroethylene (Perc) in humans are neurological, liver, and kidney effects following acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) inhalation exposure. Adverse reproductive effects, such as spontaneous abortions, have been reported from occupational exposure to tetrachloroethylene (Perc)

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) adopted regulatory amendments that protect air quality by gradually phasing out the use of a chemical common in dry cleaning. By 2023, dry cleaners will replace perchloroethylene, or perc, a solvent used in dry cleaning, with safer alternatives already available on the market.(Source: http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/latest/812)
 

Here in St. Maarten we have also Dry Cleaners that use also PERC. Most Dry Cleaners do not have a hindrance permit with regulations about the storage of Perc and disposal of it. Ventilation and disposal is also very important and perhaps pregnant women working in a place like this should get extra attention. The hindrance permit can be used to change this and it can also be used to phase out this dangerous chemical. Regulations can change in time when better options are available.

See a video about an other alternative: wet washing.