Safer, Cleaner, Greener: Identifying Opportunities to Reduce Chemical Risks in the Dry Cleaning Industry

Dituro, Kyle Michael; Sherwood, Melissa J.; Jicha, Ann Helen

Student Work

Safer, Cleaner, Greener: Identifying Opportunities to Reduce Chemical Risks in the Dry Cleaning Industry

Public

This project identified opportunities to reduce risk from the dry cleaning industry in Tirana, Albania. The team accomplished this by surveying dry cleaners and interviewing regulators. Additionally, to understand the public's knowledge of dry cleaners, we created an online survey. Research findings include that the dry cleaning industry in Tirana is largely unaware of safer practices available to them. In addition, dry cleaners are unwilling to switch to chemical alternatives due to financial limitations and low customer support. Our results show that the Albanian public is unaware of the dangers posed by chlorinated solvents used in dry cleaning. Recommendations include an activism campaign for our sponsor EDEN Center and offer strategies to dry cleaners to make their operations safer.

This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

Publisher