Midwest News

Members of the South Suburban Fabricare Association in Illinois who belong to the Drycleaner Environment Network explained how they recycle, reuse, reduce and reclaim through conservation at a May 4 Earth Day Celebration at the downtown Park Forest Square.

On display was a delivery van that runs on compressed natural gas and has clocked 170,000 miles on its odometer. Lansing Cleaners has nine of these trucks working in the Chicago area.

Lansing Cleaners is one of two drycleaning members in the Environmental Achievement program, a voluntary anti-pollution program sponsored for small business by the EPA. The other drycleaning member is Norco Cleaners of Dolton, IL. Fair Elms Cleaners of Chicago has applied for the program and is expected to join soon.

A two-hour panel discussion on alternative solvents moderated by Mary Scalco, Senior Vice President at the International Fabricare Institute will top the list of things to do at the Illinois State Fabricare Association’s Midwest 2002 trade show.

The panel discussion will be broken into two distinct segments. The first will give representatives from manufacturers of various alternative solvents a chance to discuss the products that are currently available on the market, as well as those that are still in developmental stages at this time.

The second part will be a forum for drycleaners who currently use alternative technologies as they discuss the results they have achieved in the field with their solvent of choice.

Midwest 2002, which is scheduled to take place on July 27 and 28, will also feature a two-hour program on Sunday afternoon devoted to a Korean-speaking presenter who will discuss a variety of topics important to Korean drycleaners in the greater Chicago area.

ISFA’s convention will take place at the Odeum Sports & Expo Center located in Villa Park, IL, only about four minutes away from the event’s headquarters hotel, the Holiday Inn in Elmhurst.

The newly renovated hotel is located at 624 N. York Rd. It offers complimentary transportation both to and from the convention center. A special discounted rate of $89 per night plus applicable taxes for a double room has been reserved for Midwest 2002 attendees. Call (630) 279-3707 for reservations.

For more information on the event, visit ISFA’s web site at www.isfa.net, or contact the association’s office by calling (800) 462-4732.

The Wisconsin Fabricare Institute has received a statewide Business Friend of the Environment Award under the category of environmental stewardship in recognition for its efforts to make the world cleaner.

WFI was one of nine winners selected from a field of 32 candidates nominated by peers for the honor. An independent panel of judges consisting of representatives from industry, state government, environmental organizations and the University of Wisconsin System selected the winners.

“These winners are representatives of the shared attitude throughout the Wisconsin business community that the environment is a valued partner to protect and support,” said Jeff Schoepke, director of the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, who sponsored the awards. “Taking care of the environment is smart business, as well as the right thing to do as a member of the community.”

WFI was singled out for its role in environmental stewardship for several reasons, including its Five-Star Program used to recognize drycleaners who voluntarily go the extra mile to provide a healthier and safer environment. The public posting of stars in drycleaning facilities sends a message to customers that they are just as concerned with keeping nature clean as they are with removing soil and stains from garments.

Another effort from WFI that contributed to its winning the award was its Certification Program that evolved from a cooperative effort between the association, the University of Wisconsin Extension’s Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center and the state’s Department of Natural Resources. The program is set up so that in order for drycleaners to pass their certification exams, they must prove themselves knowledgeable regarding environmental laws and safe practices.

WFI was also recognized for its help in establishing the Drycleaner Environmental Response Fund in 1997 that raises funds to assist drycleaners with costly contaminated site clean-up costs. To date, Wisconsin’s DNR has reported that more than $4.5 million has been raised, almost $2 million of which has been allocated as reimbursement for clean-up costs filed with the agency. By November of 2001, 55 potential claims had been filed under the program.

The Business Friend of the Environment Awards were announced at the 13th Annual Environmental Policy and Awards Conference at the Marriott hotel in Waukesha, WI.

Drycleaners will have a chance to dig deeper into they mysteries of “insurance archaeology” during a seminar on Thursday, June 6, presented by the Indiana Drycleaning and Laundry Association.

Taking place at the Stutz Building at 1060 North Capital in Indianapolis, IN, the seminar will begin promptly at 7 p.m. and last for about two hours. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m.

Jan and Henry Parker of Safety and Environmental Compliance Consultants will take the floor first to discuss with attendees some of the new laws that affect record-keeping requirements for drycleaners.

The second half of the seminar will feature Debbie Barnett and Rob Henshaw of Henshaw Associates, Inc. as they discuss the relationship between insurance records and funds to clean up a contaminated site.

Cost for the seminar is $40 for members and $50 for non-members. A $10 discount will be given to each additional attendee from the same company. There is security parking in the lot across from the Stutz Building.

For more information, or to make reservations, contact the IDLA office by calling (800) 401-0703.

At its 2002 convention at Mystic Lake Casino, the Minnesota Cleaners Association ushered in its current batch of officers and board of directors for a one-year term.

Taking the reins as the association’s new president was Al Nadeau of Nadeau’s Clothing Care Center. He will be joined by Erin Doll of Marco Diversified, the new president-elect, and Jim Rossman of Anderson Cleaners, who will preside as secretary-treasurer.

Elected to the board of directors were Don Leaf of Leaf’s Cleaners; Seymour Glatzer of Premier Cleaners; and Don Chapman of The Elite Cleaners.

Board members for MCA with time left to serve include: immediate past president Karen Boehne of Northern Star Cleaners; Dart Poach of Don’s Leather; Joe Peterson of Prestige Cleaning Center; Nathan Hanson of Fabric Services, Inc.; Lisa Goodmanson of Pilgrim Cleaners; Joleen Bourdaghs, CED, of Shorty Cleaners and Launderers; Dave Colehour of Best Cleaners; Roger DuFour, CED, of DuFour Cleaners; and Steve Baker of MN Chemical.

The new allied trades representative to the board of directors is Pat Drown of Covers, Etc.

MCA’s headquarters is located at 26 E. Exchange St., Fifth Floor, in St. Paul, MN. For more information, contact them by calling (651) 290-6267.