West
Oregon drops $30/gal. perc surcharge
Solvent surcharge fees that had driven the
cost of perc in Oregon to $30 per gallon and more will be a
thing of the past under a new fee structure designed to support
the state’s drycleaning site clean-up program.
When the program was adopted in 1995, a
surcharge of $12 a gallon was set for perc purchases with the
intention of raising $1 million a year to support the program.
However, the $1 million goal has never been attained, even
through the surcharge has been raised repeatedly over the
years. The most recent increase bought the perc surcharge to
$30 a gallon.
Under the new structure that goes into
effect this month, the perc surcharge will be lowered to $10
per gallon. The fee for other solvents will be $2 per gallon.
To compensate for the loss of revenue from
solvent surcharges, other fees based on the type of solvents in
use and the annual sales of the business will be instituted.
Those include an annual fee of $500 for
drycleaning plants and $250 for dry stores.
For dry stores, an additional fee of $200
would apply if perc was ever used on the site or $100 if a
solvent other than perc was used on the site.
Also assessed will be a “risk-based”
fee. Facilities currently using perc would pay $400; those that
used perc in the past would pay $200; and those that used a
solvent other than perc would pay $100.
Fees based on gross revenue will also be
assessed. For businesses with revenues of less than $100,000,
that fee will be $250. If gross revenue is between $100,000 and
$199,999, the fee will be $500; for gross revenue between
$200,000 and $299,999, the fee will be $750; and for gross
revenue between $300,000 and $399,999, the fee will be $1,000.
The highest rate — $1,250 —
will apply to those with gross revenue of $400,000 or more.
The fees, with the exception of the
solvent surcharge, are to be paid in one annual lump sum. For
payments for 2002, which were due Dec. 31, cleaners had to
estimate their sales volume for the coming year. The solvent
surcharges are paid when solvent is purchased.
The aim of raising $1 million a year for
the program remains. If that goal is not met, fees other than
the annual fee and the solvent fee can be increased by 25
percent.
Dick Dezeeuw of the Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality, said he expects the average cleaner will
end up paying about the same under the new fee structure as
under the old one. In recent years, the combination of solvent
surcharges and an annual site fee had raised about $750,000 and
he expects the new structure will raise about that amount in
2002. If the $1 million goal is not met, the 25 percent
increases would kick in for next year.
The new structure is an attempt to reach a
compromise over the thorny issue of how to equitably raise
money for the clean-up program. Small cleaners tend to prefer a
system based on the size of the business, which makes larger
cleaners pay more, while larger cleaners say the risk of
contamination posed by a small plant can be as great as a
larger one. Oregon’s new plan represents a blending of
those two approaches.
The environmental management portions of
the original law have been retained with some modifications.
Transfer machines for perc cleaning have been banned since 1998
and all new perc cleaning machines must be equipped with
refrigerated condensers. Containment pans are required under
machines and any piece of equipment that has perc in it.
All perc deliveries must be made through closed, direct-coupled
delivery systems.
The law also prohibits any discharged of
solvent-contaminated water to the sanitary sewer or septic
system.
The revised clean-up program is scheduled
to “sunset” in 2006. It will be evaluated for
renewal at that time.
Oregon cleaners who have questions about
the state clean-up program can call Dezeeuw at the DEQ, (503)
229-6240.
IFI offers management program in Vegas
A members-only management program designed
to help attendees get the most out of their business will be
held by the International Fabricare Institute from Feb. 20-22
at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV.
While the seminar series mostly targets
larger-scale cleaners and the issues they face, IFI noted that
all of its member cleaners are welcome to attend.
Highlights of the event will include a
golf tournament at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at the
Rhodes Ranch Country Club and a “No-Holds-Barred Look at
the Future of the Industry” discussion by IFI CEO Bill
Fisher on Thursday morning.
Later on the same day, Mark Wagner of
Arcadis, Geraghty & Miller, IFI’s environmental
engineering firm, will speak on “Contamination: What’s
Under Your Plant? Will EPA Object?” and a panel board
will discuss “Welcome to My Contamination Nightmare:
Contamination Case Studies and How They Are Being Cleared Up.”
Other presentations scheduled for the
program will include: “The Crunch in the Industry is Here:
What Do I Do to Survive;” “Why Diversification
Works for Me;” “Motivating and Retaining Good
Employees;” and “Customer Relations: Dealing with
the Irate Customer.”
Cost for the event is $299. A special room
rate of $79 is available to IFI members for the nights of
Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 21 and 22. To make reservations,
call the hotel, (800) 693-6763 by Jan. 19; refer to group
code RO2FABR.
For registration information, contact IFI
at (800) 638-2627.
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Upcoming classes in California
Cleaners in California will have several
opportunities to go to school in the first quarter of 2002.
Cleaners in the northern part of the state
will be able to take “Fabrics and Fibers, Part One”
on Feb. 9. One month later, “Fabrics and Fibers, Part Two”
is scheduled for March 9.
On April 13, “Beginning Spotting,
Part One” will commence; “Beginning Spotting, Part
Two” will conclude the series on May 11.
All four classes will be taught by
instructor Bob Blackburn at Snow Cleaners located at 38 W.
Sonora St. in Stockton, CA. Cost for CCA members is $75 per
class; non-members pay $125.
Those who want to attend one of the
courses can make reservations by calling the California
Cleaners Association office at (800) 390-8409.
Down south, California cleaners that need
to take the California Air Resources Board required course on
the Air Toxic Control Measure will have many opportunities.
Classes will be held on the last Saturday
of every month in Long Beach, CA. The sessions will be
presented by Dallons Environmental Services. Cost is $150 for
initial certification and $75 for three-year recertification.
Class size is limited to 30 people,
reservations are recommended. Call Dallons Environmental
Services at (800) 347-6551.
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