National Clothesline

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has granted to a 90-day grace period for cleaners who needed to get new cleaning machines installed by a June 26 deadline.

The DEC is extending the deadline only for those cleaners who have a signed contract for a new fourth-generation machine dated on or before June 26.

“The Department has received reports that certain drycleaners have entered into contracts for the purchase and installation of drycleaning equipment that meets the requirements of 6 NYCRR section 232.6(b) but are encountering delays in actually having this equipment delivered and/or installed on or before June 26, 2003,” the DEC said.

“For those drycleaners that meet the conditions for coverage under this extension of enforcement discretion, the Department will not enforce the requirements… pertaining to these equipment upgrades until Sept. 24, 2003,” DEC said.

Only cleaners who have a signed contract for purchase and installation will be granted the extension. “All other drycleaners will remain subject to enforcement of the relevant requirements starting on June 26, 2003,” DEC said.” The Department intends to seek economic benefit associated with non-compliance as well as any appropriate statutory penalties.”

Questions can be directed to the Dry Cleaning Implementation Group at DEC, (518) 402-8403.

Donald Halperin, legislative liaison for the Neighborhood Cleaners Association, worked with State Senator Owen Johnson to convince DEC to give guidance to regional offices on the matter.

“Many cleaners were faced with difficult decisions when they learned from their distributors of choice that they could not guarantee installation by the June 26, 2003 deadline,” Halperin said. NCA was concerned that these cleaners were being forced to buy from someone or some model machine they didn’t want in order to comply with the regulatory deadline.”

NCA executive director Nora Nealis commended Sen. Johnson for his help on the matter and noted that repercussions of the decision go beyond avoidance of DEC violations.

“Without this guidance from the DEC, cleaners statewide risked losing their eligibility for Financial Assistance to Business grants, which are worth between $2,000 and $5,500 per machine,” Nealis said. “Given the current economic woes of the industry, that loss would have hurt ore than the violations.”

NCA reminded cleaners who are making equipment changes or modifications they must notify the DEC, US EPA and, in some areas, local county or city authorities. For information about the procedures and locations for filing, NCA members can contact the association at (212) 967-3002, ext. 231.

Chevron Phillips Chemical Company’s EcoSolv drycleaning fluid has been approved for use in dry-to-dry, closed-loop (non-vented) machinery, in compliance with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Dry Cleaning Program.

NYSDEC confirmed that EcoSolv has a total federal Hazardous Air Contaminant (HAP) content of less than 100 ppm (0.01 weight percent). Data submitted for all lots of EcoSolv Dry Cleaning Fluid produced in the 18 months preceding CPChems application to NYSDEC demonstrated that the low HAP concentrations are consistent in the product and will not be exceeded on a production batch-to-batch basis.

“We are very pleased that NYSDEC determined that our product complied with their low HAPs content requirements,” said Dr. Nancy Eilerts, New Product and Technology Director for CPChem.

Greg Collins, Strategic Accounts and Project Manager for CPChem, said. “We hope that drycleaners who are contemplating the purchase of new machines will consider hydrocarbon as a viable alternative solvent, and will choose EcoSolv Dry Cleaning Fluid.”

NYSDEC notes that facilities intending to use EcoSolv should obtain their registration before commencing operation with this solvent. Assistance in completing the Air Facility Registration form is available at no charge through the New York State Small Business Environmental Ombudsman Office at (800) 782-8369.

More information on EcoSolv can be obtained by calling Chevron, (800) 858-4327, or by visiting the website www.cpchem.com/specialtychem.

Several busy months are coming up for the Neighborhood Cleaners Association, who will be offering a wide array of educational opportunities at its New York School of Drycleaning, located at 252 W. 29th St.

NCA will offer in-depth training with its comprehensive ten-week course “Principles and Practices of Dry Cleaning.”

The program runs from 7 to 11 p.m. on every Monday and Wednesday evening. Starting dates for the ten-week course are July 7 and September 29.

Tuition is $870 per student. Optional aids include a student notebook and a fabric book that each cost $40.

For cleaners wishing to learn the “Principles and Practices of Pressing,” NCA will present a four-week course that meets from 7 to 10 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

The next course date is September 30. Tuition is $380 per student.

A “Five-Day Intensive Drycleaning and Spotting” course is also set to run from July 28 until August 2. The cost will be $665 for members.

Students will learn the basics of drycleaning, fiber identification, stain removal, solvent maintenance and filtration.

NCA will also offer several one-day offerings on specific industry-related topics.

A technical training at the counter course has been planned for September 14. It will teach front counter employees the importance of attitude and knowledge, focussing on everything from garment inspection to problem solving.

A one-day finishing course has been planned one week later on September 21.

Cleaners wishing to learn more about machinery maintenance and how to perform minor repairs and part replacement on their drycleaning equipment will have an opportunity on Sunday, October 19.

On November 2, an advanced spotting and bleaching course will examine testing, dyes, fiber content, the use of bleaches and wetcleaning.

All of NCA’s one-day courses last seven hours long and cost $150 per member and $225 for non-members.

Korean cleaners seeking their New York State DEC certification will have many chances to take Korean-language classes at NCA.

Upcoming course dates include: July 20 and 27; September 21 and 28; and November 16 and 23.

For more information, contact NCA Instructor Frank Choy by calling (212) 967-3002.