•   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.

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