Background The dry cleaning of textiles is conducted in 60.000 dry cleaning shops across Europe with an annual turnover of 4,5 billion EUR, employing 180.000 workers and cleaning 2,2 million tonnes of textiles each year, utilizing 75.000 cleaning machines. The present major dry cleaning solvent is perchloroethylene (perc or tetrachloroethylene) utilized by 95% of EU dry cleaners in 80-85% of the dry cleaning machines. Dry cleaning operations release more then 70.000 tonnes of perc per year in Europe. The VOC Solvents Directive (Directive 1999/13/EC of 11 March 1999 on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain activities and installations) is the main instrument for the reduction of VOC emissions in the European Community. This Directive has major restrictions on the use of chlorinated hydrocarbons. The dry cleaning sector is specifically addressed in this Directive; the Directive sets emission limit values; new installations have to comply with the requirements of the Directive since April 2001, while existing installations will have to comply fully in 2007. Perc also has risks to human health and reproduction and shows toxic effects (neuro-toxicological impairment, kidney damage and carcinogenity). Perc may also be teratogenic for pregnant women. The technology has caused widespread perc groundwater contamination at many dry cleaners. Dry cleaning unit shops have to invest in expensive environmental provisions in order to keep humans and the environment from exposure to Perc. At the time of the application (2000), a new promising technology emerged: textile cleaning with liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2). At that time only bench-scale tests were available; full-scale experiments had still to be conducted; some experience was already available in the US. The project consortium decided to bring together the expertise to perform and optimise full-scale application of the technology. This was the start of the LIFE project "DETECTIVE". Objectives The project aimed to demonstrate that textile cleaning with liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) is a competitive alternative for dry cleaning with Perchloroethylene, a likely human carcinogen solvent. Results The "DETECTIVE" project ran from July 2001 to June 2004 and fully achieved its objective: it demonstrated that textile cleaning with liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) is a competitive alternative for dry cleaning with Perchloroethylene (perc). The project showed the excellent operation of LCO2 textile cleaning with 2 full-scale LCO2 pilot units both in Denmark and in the Netherlands which operated on the basis of 38 different textile materials and 9 different garment articles. A preceding EU CRAFT project called DRYCOT had investigated the key parameters and was awarded the first price in a EU contest for the most successful environmentally friendly process in 2002. The performance of the industrial LCO2 textile cleaning machines in the Netherlands and Denmark was compared to that of conventional perchloroethylene (perc) dry cleaning regarding stain removal, effect on textile properties, energy, safety and cost price. In addition several comparisons were made with 3 other alternatives for perc: wet cleaning, hydrocarbon cleaning and cyclosiloxane cleaning. The cleaning performance of LCO2 relative to perc was 60-100% depending on the nature of the stain. Cleaning performances relative to the 3 other potential alternatives to perc dry cleaning are even better and in several cases over 100%. Several advantages of LCO2 textile cleaning with respect to textile behaviour were identified compared to perc dry cleaning. The available detergents for LCO2 textile cleaning do increase the cleaning performances, but the results depend on the type of stain. Further improvements are expected for the detergents themselves and their input methods into the machine. Cost analysis gave the following conclusions: 1. Textile cleaning with LCO2 is most efficient in utility use and waste disposal; 2. The costs of make-up solvents and detergents are comparable to perc dry cleaning; 3. The labor costs of LCO2 textile cleaning are comparable to perc dry cleaning; 4. Investment-related costs of LCO2 textile cleaning per annum are higher, but equal per kg cleaned garments. This is due to the higher annual capacity of the LCO2 textile cleaning machine (2 cycles per hour) compared to perc dry cleaning (2 cycles in 1,5 hour); These values were confirmed by professional practice. The conventional perc dry cleaning times were confirmed by measurements at KROM. 5. The overall costs of LCO2 textile cleaning are 20% lower than of perc dry cleaning: EUR 1,17 versus EUR 1,43 per kg garments, respectively; this is mainly driven by the shorter turnaround time of LCO2 textile cleaning. These values were partially validated by TNO on the basis of their annual surveys in the textile cleaning sector. Values for individual companies can deviate by 10% (with outlayers of 20%), mainly driven by internal logistics. The assessment of the LCO2 technology resulted in the score of 15 points that was the highest out of 5 compared cleaning methods, including perc. The LCO2 textile cleaning is best combined with wet cleaning to clean the entire spectrum of soiled garments of consumers and textiles (curtains, sheets etc.). The project has encouraged the establishment of a franchise textile cleaning organization (Hangers Cleaners Europe www.hangerseurope.com) by one of the project partners (AGA/Linde AG). The combined LCO2 and wet cleaning can competitively replace the current hazardous perc dry cleaning. This substitution carries many environmental benefits. The replacement of perc by LCO2 eliminates the unwanted emission of 70.000 tonnes/year of perc into the atmosphere. It also improves working conditions and allows pregnant women to work in textile cleaning. The LCO2 technology is still in its early market introduction stage but is in the eyes of the project team sufficiently developed to receive policy incentives. The emergence of LCO2, as a sustainable method, will allow the discouragement of perc. This project has been awarded the title of "Best of the Best" from a shortlist of 21 "Best" LIFE Environment projects in 2005-2006