• United States Office Of Compliance EPA 305-F-99-001
SmnSal Protection (2224A) February T 999
Agency ' ' _
f/EPA Partners In PERC:
A Pilot Mentoring Program For
Dry Cleaners
Who are the Partners?
The U.S. EPA's Office of Compliance and Region 3 office, together with small business
assistance programs in Maryland, Virginia, and the District oif Columbia as well as the Korean
Dry Cleaners Association of Greater Washington (KDCAGW), partnered an innovative approach
to address the environmental compliance needs of the Korean dry cleaning community.
How did the Program Work?
The partners developed a mentoring program where more experienced dry cleaners or "coaches,"
volunteered to attend environmental compliance training provided by EPA and the states. This
training included: distributing written compliance materials in English and Korean; conducting
demonstrations on proper use of equipment; assisting in developing a proper record keeping and
reporting system; providing assistance in understanding the environmental regulations relevant to
diy cleaners; conducting a "mock" inspection of one of the coach's shops to show how
compliance with environmental requirements is established. After successful completion of the
training, the coaches received certificates of completion from EPA. The trade association then
assisted in pairing less experienced dry cleaners with trained coaches. The coaches conducted
on-site visits to provide one-on-one compliance assistance based upon the training given by EPA
and the states. Using environmental checklists, the coaches discussed deficiencies, suggested
corrective actions, and conducted follow-up visits.
i
What were the Results of the Program?
During the first six months following the completion of the coaches' training, the coaches visited
86 dry cleaners. After completion of their site-visits and training, the coaches verified that their
partners were in compliance. Based on its experience, the trade association determined that dry
cleaners in the Greater Washington area who participated in this program had a 20% better
compliance rate than others in the area who had not participated. A random inspection by EPA
Region 3 of a dry cleaner who had participated in the mentoring program found that shop to be in
complete compliance.
Are there Plans for Future Activities? '
Based on the results of this pilot, EPA has developed a guide for establishing similar types of
programs between small businesses, their trade associations and regulatory agencies at the state
and federal levels. The KDCAGW is continuing to coach other dry cleaners and has written
articles in their trade press about the program. The Korean Dry Cleaners' Association of
Baltimore, Maryland, expressed interest in a mentoring program, and the KDCAGW volunteered
to train twelve of the directors in the Baltimore association.
For further information, contact Joyce Chandler at 202-564-7073 or chandler.joyce@epa.gov.
------- |