Living near dry cleaners increases risk of devastating disease: study
New York Post • • health
Key Points:
- New research indicates that living within 500 feet of a dry cleaner increases the risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease, a progressive neurological disorder affecting movement and balance.
- In the New York City area, residents near dry cleaners had a 13% higher chance of Parkinson’s, with even stronger correlations found in regions like Southern Illinois, where the risk more than doubled.
- The chemical trichloroethylene (TCE), historically used in dry cleaning and now banned nationwide by the EPA as of 2024, is linked to increased Parkinson’s risk, while perchloroethylene (PCE), still in phasedown, can cause harmful vapor intrusion.
- Exposure to these chemicals primarily occurs through inhalation or skin contact rather than through wearing dry-cleaned clothes, prompting many dry cleaners to adopt greener alternatives such as liquid CO2 and silicone-based solvents.
