Dry Cleaner Program 

Implementing the Dry Cleaner Program

The statute directs the DEQ to implement this statute in a way that protects public health and the environment and prevents additional dry cleaner sites from becoming contaminated. Major efforts conducted by the DEQ while implementing the statute are described below:

Advisory Committee

The DEQ appointed an Advisory Committee comprised of 14 members representing:

• dry cleaning operators;
• dry cleaning property owners;
• dry cleaning industry members other than owners and operators;
• citizens;
• environmental organizations; and
• local governments.

The Dry Cleaner Advisory Committee has been meeting periodically since December 1995 to advise the DEQ on policies and issues affecting the development and implementation of the Dry Cleaner program. For a list of members see Dry Cleaner Advisory Committee Members.

Outreach and Technical Assistance

Outreach and technical assistance activities have enabled the DEQ to communicate statutory requirements, provide other information, and become more familiar with the dry cleaning industry. DEQ outreach efforts include:

• All of the dry cleaners in the state were visited by DEQ staff to provide technical assistance and discuss provisions of the statute and to observe the operation at the facilities;
• Presentations made at state dry cleaner association meetings;
• Fact sheets developed to highlight statutory requirements;
• Information disseminated through industry-wide mailings. Most of the information was translated into Korean and Vietnamese for the benefit of the immigrant dry cleaner operators;
• Technical assistance provided on the telephone or in meetings with dry cleaners, property owners, consultants, and attorneys;

The technical guidance and program information fact sheets were provided to all dry cleaners. These fact sheets were also made available through industry associations, industry meetings, and the DEQ web site. All fact sheets were translated into Korean and Vietnamese for the benefit of the immigrant dry cleaners.

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