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AQMD Inspectors periodically visit dry cleaners to
make sure they are complying with applicable air quality rules and permit conditions.
During compliance
inspections, the Inspector educates, assists and ultimately helps owners and
operators to bring their operations into compliance.
When performing a dry cleaner inspection, Inspectors typically check the
facility's permits, records,
equipment, and housekeeping,
maintenance, and operating practices.
Permits
- Does each item of equipment requiring an
AQMD permit have a permit?
- Is a permit (or a copy of a permit) posted
near the equipment?
- Is the information on the permit complete,
up-to-date, and accurate?
- Do the model numbers on the equipment match
the model numbers on the permit?
- Is all the equipment in use listed on the
permit?
- Is the equipment being operated according to
the conditions listed on the permit?
- Has there been a change of ownership?
- Have annual operating fees, permit renewal
fees, and toxics fees been paid?
Records
- Are proper records being kept in a timely
manner (including daily receipts, supplier and contractor invoices, hazardous waste
manifests, annual reports, and daily log entries by the operator)?
- Do these records include:
- The number of cleaning cycles for each day, week, and
month?
- The number of pounds of clothes cleaned per cycle?
- The amount of solvent purchased and used per year?
- The dates the solvent tank was filled and the amount
of solvent that was added to the tank?
- The solvent mileage, calculated annually (expressed
as the pounds of materials cleaned per gallon of solvent used)?
- The last time the carbon adsorber was regenerated (if
you have one)?
- The carbon replacement frequency in the adsorber?
- Whether the refrigerated condensers have achieved 45
degrees F or less at the end of the cool-down cycle for each load?
- The dates of shipment and the types and quantities of
hazardous waste leaving the facility including the size and number of cartridge filters,
the volume of still bottoms and much, and the volume of wastewater?
- Information about filter replacement?
- The dates of service, types of service, and any
repairs made to any portion or component of the dry cleaning system.
- Weekly leak check data?
- All other data required by permit conditions?
- Have these records been kept continuously for the
previous two years?
- Are these records readily accessible and available
for inspection?
- Do these records include the original record of
completion of the required CARB-authorized environmental training and the
instructor’s signature from refresher training dated no more than three years after
the initial training to demonstrate that a full-time employee of your business has
successfully fulfilled these requirements?
Equipment
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Does perc dry cleaning equipment comply with all requirements of AQMD
Rule 1421?
- Are liquid and vapor leaks detectable from any of the following
components?
- Hose connections, unions, couplings, valves
- Machine door gaskets and seatings
- Filter head gasket and seating
- Pumps
- Base tanks and storage containers
- Solvent water separators
- Distillation unit and filter sludge recovery
- Diverter valves
- Lint traps and filter canisters
Housekeeping, Maintenance, and Good Operating Practices
- Are solvent containers (like water repellant dip tanks) kept closed
or covered?
- Are filters properly drained?
- Is a trained operator present during plant operation who has attended
CARB-authorized initial and refresher environmental training courses?
- Is equipment being checked with a portable analyzer at least once a
week for leaks?
- Are leaking components repaired or replaced in a timely manner?
- Are button and lint traps cleaned regularly?
- Are components being operated and maintained in accordance with
manufacturer recommendations?
(Download a sample
self-inspection checklist)
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