Commercial laundromats and industrial laundry facilities represent a distinct PFAS exposure environment that bridges occupational health and community water quality concerns. These facilities process enormous volumes of textiles — some of which carry PFAS-treated finishes — using large quantities of water, creating both occupational exposure opportunities for workers and wastewater discharge challenges for the surrounding community.
The Commercial Laundry PFAS Picture
Commercial laundry operations handle a diverse mix of textiles, including:
- Hospitality linens treated with stain-resistant PFAS finishes
- Healthcare and industrial workwear with PFAS water-resistant treatments
- Military and first responder uniforms potentially contaminated with PFAS from occupational exposure
- Consumer clothing with DWR (durable water repellent) treatments containing PFAS
Each wash cycle releases some PFAS from treated textiles into the wash water. In facilities processing thousands of pounds of PFAS-treated textiles daily, the cumulative PFAS load in effluent water can be significant.
Occupational Exposure for Laundry Workers
Workers in commercial laundry operations face PFAS exposure through several pathways:
Inhalation of steam and aerosols: Hot water processing generates steam and fine aerosol droplets that can carry dissolved PFAS. In facilities with limited ventilation — common in older urban laundromats — workers may inhale PFAS-containing aerosols throughout their shift.
Dermal contact with wet textiles and wash water: Sorting, loading, and unloading wet textiles involves skin contact with PFAS-containing water. Workers who handle wet laundry without appropriate protective equipment receive dermal PFAS exposure throughout the workday.
Drinking water in the facility: If the facility’s water supply is PFAS-contaminated, workers who drink tap water on the job receive additional exposure on top of occupational contact exposures.
Community Wastewater Implications
Commercial laundry effluent — discharged to municipal wastewater systems under pretreatment agreements — carries PFAS that treatment plants cannot remove. Studies of PFAS in wastewater treatment plant influent have found that laundry facilities can be significant contributors to the PFAS load in municipal wastewater, particularly in communities with military bases, hospitality industries, or healthcare facilities as major commercial laundry customers.
This PFAS passes through treatment plants into receiving water bodies and eventually into drinking water sources, creating a cycle where PFAS from textile treatments ends up back in community drinking water — a pathway that water filtration at the household level helps interrupt.
Protective Measures for Laundry Workers
Workers in commercial laundry operations can reduce occupational PFAS exposure through:
- Use of nitrile gloves when handling wet textiles and PFAS-rich laundry water
- Improved facility ventilation to reduce steam and aerosol PFAS exposure
- Access to filtered drinking water at all worker hydration points
- Regular handwashing with clean water after contact with laundry water or wet textiles
Facility owners should consider occupational health assessments of PFAS exposure for workers with long service histories, particularly in facilities that process high volumes of PFAS-treated textiles.
Regulatory Developments
As PFAS regulations develop, commercial laundry facilities may face discharge permit requirements for PFAS in their effluent. Pretreatment standards for industrial laundry operations are being evaluated in several states as part of broader PFAS wastewater management frameworks. Facilities that proactively assess their PFAS effluent loading and implement treatment technologies will be better positioned when these requirements take effect.
For communities served by municipal water systems receiving laundry facility PFAS discharges, point-of-use filtration provides protection from this diffuse source regardless of the pace of industrial regulation. Certified reverse osmosis or activated carbon systems at the tap interrupt the cycle at the household level.