The Air Pollution Control (Dry-Cleaning Machines) (Vapour Recovery) Regulation will come into force November 1 requiring that only dry-cleaning machines of an approved type, or modified machines certified to conform to the approved standard, be used.

The Environmental Protection Department said full implementation of the regulation from tomorrow will eliminate older machines which have significant perchloroethylene emissions. The new generation of dry-cleaning machines should now be equipped with a perchloroethylene vapour recovery system to help control emissions.

To ensure a smooth transition laundry shops were given grace periods of five years to phase out or modify the older vented-type machines and seven years for non-vented machines. Their respective deadlines were October 31, 2006, and October 31, 2008.

It will be an offence to sell, lease or operate a machine that does not meet the requirements, or not to display the certificate of a modified machine. Failure to comply will warrant a $100,000 fine.

Under the control scheme, all new dry-cleaning machines to be sold in Hong Kong will be required to be of an approved type with a suitable vapour recovery system to reduce the residual perchloroethylene concentration to below 300 parts per million by volume (ppmv).

Click here for the Approved Machine Model List.