FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         

February 26, 2002

Loan Helps Wyoming Dry Cleaner Prevent Pollution

A pollution prevention project proposed by a Wyoming dry cleaner is in line for a $30,394 low-interest loan through the Department of Environmental Quality’s Small Business Pollution Prevention Loan Program.

Mr. Dud’s Cleaning and Laundry will upgrade its dry-cleaning equipment for a more environmentally friendly operation, according to DEQ Director Russell Harding. As a result, the company will significantly reduce its use of the hazardous cleaning solvent perchloroethylene, or “perc,” and eliminate the disposal of spent filters as hazardous waste.

“The program continues to attract applicants seeking ‘greener’ ways to operate their businesses,” Harding said. “The good news, in addition to the environmental benefit, is that ‘greener’ equals ‘leaner’ due to the cost savings from the low-interest rates and by reducing the cost for waste management and disposal.”

The DEQ and the applicant’s local lending institution each fund half of the loan. In this instance, Comerica Bank of Wyoming is participating in the loan.

“With this new equipment, we expect to reduce our perc usage by 50 percent and eliminate the annual disposal of 16 spent filters as hazardous waste,” said Haeok Kim, owner of Mr. Dud’s Cleaning and Laundry. “We appreciate the flexibility of the loan program, which allows us to work with the bank that can give us the best interest rates.”

Businesses with fewer than 100 employees can apply for loans of up to $100,000 with a guaranteed interest rate of not more than 5 percent. The short application helps businesses describe how their projects will eliminate or reduce waste through source reduction or environmentally sound reuse or recycling, including water and energy conservation.

Loans are available to all private business sectors including farming, manufacturing, retail and service.

The program is part of the Clean Michigan Initiative, a $675 million environmental bond proposed by Gov. John Engler and overwhelmingly approved by voters in 1998.

For more information contact the DEQ’s Environmental Assistance Division at 1 800-662-9278.

#####

Revised February 26, 2002 by Pat Watson