Perchloroethylene (PERC)

High Concern

Solvent / Contaminant

Also known as

perchloroethyleneperctetrachloroethylenetetrachloroethenedry cleaning fluid

The concern

IARC Group 1 carcinogen. Used in dry cleaning and some consumer spot-removal products. Linked to bladder cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. EPA moved to ban it from dry cleaning in 2024.

Read the source: IARC / EPA

What to look for on labels

This ingredient may appear under any of the following names or codes on product labels:

Perchloroethylene (PERC)
perchloroethylene
perc
tetrachloroethylene
tetrachloroethene
dry cleaning fluid

Learn more

Read the full evidence directly from the authoritative source.

View source — IARC / EPA

Data sourced from IARC, FDA, EFSA, WHO and EWG public data. For informational purposes only. This does not constitute medical or legal advice.

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