Transcript No Slide Title

Development of a Comprehensive Educational Program
to Increase Compliance Among Dry Cleaners
Dawn Marie Prandi, REHS
Environmental Health Coordinator
Somerset County Department of Health
Somerville, New Jersey
Problem Statement
Perchloroethylene solvent (perc) in the dry cleaning industry is being used in a manner
inconsistent with applicable regulations, posing potential environmental, occupational and
public health risks.
Contributing Factors
- Business owners do not view
perc exposure as a problem
- Public health resources are
stretched….low frequency of
inspections
Demands on
County Health
Departments
2001
2007
- Lack of training opportunities
Time spent on violations
& enforcement
- Lack of public demand for
alternatives
2005 – ‘06
- Industry bias in favor of perc
- Conflicting scientific data
- Lack of funding for small
business owners to switch to
‘greener’ alternatives
Required annual
dry cleaner
inspections
NJDEP training
of County staff
Allowable perc usage
TIME
Things are ok now…
the inspector’s gone.
Symptom
Correcting
Process
Cause
Correcting
Process..
Long-term
Solution
Cycle is
broken &
perc used
safely
Infrequent
inspection +
enforcement w/
heavy penalties
Enforcement is the
only way to get
through to them.
Shifting the Burden
B
Improper use of
perc and/or poor
machine
maintenance
R
Continuous
control not
reinforced;
adversarial
relationship
Increased staff time
devoted to
enforcement actions
R
B
Education to
develop an aware
& proactive
workforce
Don’t shoot the
messenger! It’s not
our job to educate.
Side Effects
Undermining
Efforts to
Address
Fundamental
Issue
Accidental Adversaries – State vs. Local Public
Health
Our current regulations aren’t
working; there is no other way to
ensure safe dry cleaning
operations….perc has to go
State wishes to get
rid of perc…intends
to make it so
difficult to use,
owners will have to
find alternatives
State delegates
inspections and
enforcement to the
County Health Depts.
Don’t shoot the
messenger! We
simply carry out the
State’s mandate….
R
B
State
creates
stringent
limitations &
regulations
County inspectors not
well trained & penalties
are tough to enforce
X
We have too much
on our plates to
become dry
cleaning experts
X
Dedicate staff to
inspect & educate
operators
Increasing
pressure on PH
resources
B
Counties wish to limit
negative public health &
environmental impact of
perc
R
SHARED GOAL of keeping
the air and water free of
perc contamination
Counties conduct
inspections and enforce
regulations
UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES… as the
State’s regs become
stricter, the Counties are
less willing to enforce them.
Program Goals
The use of perc as a dry cleaning solvent poses risks to air and water
quality. Excess exposure may increase the risk of developing cancer.
Efforts to strictly regulate through air permitting programs &
inspections have not improved operator awareness or compliance.
1.
2.
Increase the compliance rates of Somerset County dry cleaners currently using perc.
Increase the percentage of dry cleaners in the County using non-perc alternatives.
Outcome Objectives
1.
By June 30, 2007, 75% of Somerset County dry cleaners inspected will be operating in
substantial compliance with the regulations.
-
2.
By January 31, 2007, at least 35 dry cleaners in Somerset County will have attended
an educational session to include: basic awareness of current and upcoming
regulations, environmental & public health impacts of perc, proper maintenance of
machinery to reduce perc emissions, and options for converting their business to a
non-perc facility. By February 15, 2007, all known dry cleaners within the County
(~84) will have received a mailing containing information about perc, non-perc options,
and resources for compliance assistance.
By June 30, 2008, 10 dry cleaners within the County will operate using alternatives to
perchloroethylene.
Events & Activities
•
•
Collaborate with stakeholders from
industry associations, regulatory
agencies, and small businesses
Develop outreach seminar and
educational materials
•
Develop knowledge assessment/
survey
•
Follow-up with mailings to all County
dry cleaners (compliance assistance
resources and non-perc alternatives)
•
Free Training
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
6:45pm – 8:45pm
Your customers demand
Keep your dry cleaning business in
environmental safety.
Stand out from the competition! compliance with the law. Learn how to
improve your business while operating
safely for your health, your workers,
your customers and the environment.
Presented By:
Ky Asral – NJDEP Small Business Assistance Program
Dawn Prandi – Environmental Coordinator, Somerset County Dept. of Health
Paul Malarcher – Somerset County Right-to-Know Coordinator
Timothy Maxwell – President, Green Earth Cleaning
Translation Services Provided By:
The Korean Cleaners Association of NJ
Mr. Yong Sun Baek, President
Mr. Sung Il Kim, Environmental Advisor
Conduct inspections and monitor
indoor perc exposures
Hosted by the Somerset County Department of Health
•
•
•
Develop database of green
alternatives
Evaluate impact of educational
outreach on compliance rates
Present results to key regulatory
stakeholders and other EH officials
Location: Somerset County Emergency Services Training Academy, Hillsborough
– Directions Enclosed Questions? Call (908) 231-7155
Register Today – Fax or Mail this form before 12-31-2006
Company Name: ___________________________________ Number Attending:________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________________
Phone# ________________ Fax# _______________ E-mail Address: _______________________
FAX TO: (908) 704-8042
or
MAIL TO:
Somerset County Health Dept.
PO Box 3000, Somerville, NJ 08876
Status & Next Steps
•SCDOH hosted a comprehensive educational seminar for area dry cleaners on 1/9/07
•Almost 40% of Somerset County dry cleaning businesses attended the program
•Follow-up resources will be mailed to all stores
•SCDOH will ‘ramp up’ compliance inspections in 2007 and evaluate outcomes
•SCDOH will encourage consumers and business owners to evaluate non-perc options
•SCDOH will continue to offer education and compliance assistance, going beyond an
enforcement-only mandate
Seminar Feedback
•
2/3 of attendees had never attended a
similar training
•
88% of attendees would recommend the
training to others
•
Post-training, 81% correctly answered that a
4th generation machine can only use 150
gallons of perc annually
•
Post-training, 62% correctly answered that
their NJDEP air permit must be renewed
every 5 years.
Acknowledgments
Dawn Marie Prandi would like to thank the following individuals for their support and
assistance with her project development and personal growth as an EPHLI fellow:
Brian Hubbard, MPH; Environmental Health Specialist
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Environmental Health
Sherry Immediato, MBA
Managing Director, Society for Organizational Learning
Joyce Gaufin, BS
Executive Director, Great Basin Public Health Leadership Institute
John Horensky, MS
Director of Public Health; Somerset County Department of Health
Mark Roskein
Sr. CEHA Investigator; Somerset County Department of Health
For more information on this project, please contact me directly at:
[email protected]