EnviroForensics’ Account Executive, John Neu, and PolicyFind’s Director of Operations, Kristen Brown, share insights from the 2019 MCA Education and Annual Meeting.
EnviroForensics’ John Neuand PolicyFind’s Kristen Brown were pleased to attend the Minnesota Dry Cleaners Association’s Education and Annual Meeting, Unity of the Industry. The Minnesota Cleaners Association (MCA) has existed for 30 years and serves the dry cleaning industry and its customers.
The MCA annual meeting was packed with information about the industry and had a dynamic lineup of speakers, including Dennis Schmitt, President of DLI; Sherry Munyon, MCA Lobbyist; Nathan Landwehr, Minnesota Technical Assistance Program; and us, John Neu of EnviroForensics, and Kristen Brown of PolicyFind.
Attendees sharing knowledge.
Annual Meeting Overview
The educational event kicked off with Keynote Speaker, Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI) President Dennis Schmitt. Mr. Schmitt shared with the audience the organization’s deep-rooted history in the drycleaning industry. DLI has been the premier international trade association for garment care professionals since 1883 and represents over 10,000 retail drycleaners in the United States alone. Mr. Schmitt, in his presentation, Unity of the Industry touted the importance of providing ongoing educational opportunities, working together, and providing a clear message and outreach through social media outlets.
DLI President Dennis Schmitt.
Sherry Munyon is a Lobbyist for the MCA and spoke next at the annual meeting. Ms. Munyon shared her expertise regarding legislative processes and procedures and explained how recent legislation impacting the Minnesota Drycleaner Fund passed and what it means for dry cleaners in the state.
Sherry Munyon.
We, EnviroForensics and PolicyFind, addressed the group and shared a presentation about investigating and remediating environmental contamination. We shared information about Insurance Archeology and the potential of finding funds through old insurance policies to pay for investigation, remediation, and legal fees.
Rounding out the presenters, MnTAP’s Nathan Landwehr presented cost-saving measures and practices for dry cleaners. Mr. Landwehr spoke about the MnTAP program and its free assessments that could lead to savings on energy, water, and cleaning chemical usage.
After the educational sessions, we enjoyed networking on a Prime Rib Dinner Cruise on Treasure Island Resort & Casino’s elegant cruise liner, Spirit of the Water, on the scenic Mississippi River, followed by a raffle and silent auction.
Networking aboard the Spirit of the Water.Attendees enjoying the prime rib dinner on the Mississippi River.Attendees at the raffle.
If you want to become a member of Minnesota Dry Cleaners Association, visit minnesotadrycleaners.org
John Neu, Account Executive, EnviroForensics
John Neu has 13+ years of experience in the environmental field. He interfaces with business owners, property owners, developers, real estate professionals, and city officials to help solve their environmental challenges. He is based out of EnviroForensics’ Wisconsin office and works with clients in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Georgia, and Alabama. He is also a board member of the South Eastern Fabricare Association (SEFA) and is an active member of the Wisconsin Fabricare Institute (WFI).
Kristen Brown, Director of Operations, PolicyFind
Kristen Brown combines her profession as an insurance archeologist with 10+ years as an investigative journalist to reconstruct historical insurance coverage for clients. Her approach is both comprehensive and detailed in order to bring historical CGL policies to bear on current contaminated sites. Brown has successfully located evidence of liability insurance coverage on 150+ projects. Her clients include dry cleaners, manufacturers, municipalities, property owners, attorneys, insurance companies, and companies going through mergers and acquisitions. Brown also works on behalf of policyholders defending against environmental toxic tort and asbestos exposure.
EnviroForensics’ Second Environmental Science Education workshop introduces Herron High School’s AP environmental science students to the daily operations of environmental scientists, real-world scientific applications of concepts learned in the classroom and helpful advice on pursuing a degree and a career in the environmental field. The workshop includes hands-on presentations covering topics like chemical properties of typical contaminants, fate, and transport of contaminants in the environment, and investigation and cleanup techniques. The objective is to give students some perspective on how the lesson they’re learning inside the classroom can apply to their future careers. The workshop is hosted in the Field Lab where EnviroForensics personnel and interns come to learn the basics of environmental field sampling or brush up on their own skills.
Presentations Covering topics like: Groundwater and Soil, Vapor Intrusion, Remediation Technologies, Site Redevelopment, Risk Communication, and Education Requirements for the job.
Herron High School is a public charter college preparatory schoollocated in downtown Indianapolis providing classical and liberal arts-based education (math, English, science, social studies, Latin, music, performing arts and visual arts) and serves more than 700 students grade 9-12 of varying cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
The workshop is led by Casey McFall, Director of Field Services at EnviroForensics.
Special thanks to all the people who made today special: Casey McFall, Collin Martin, Morgan Saltsgiver, Matt Bono, Brianne Inman, Grace Randall, and Stephen Henshaw.
THE FABRICARE INDUSTRY DOESN’T HAVE IT EASY THESE DAYS. INDUSTRY CHANGES THAT ARE FORMING ON THE HORIZON WILL COME TO PASS–FASHION, INCOME, AGE, SOCIETAL TRENDS, AND DISRUPTIVE BUSINESS MODELS WILL CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE DEMANDS OF CUSTOMERS.
Dry cleaners will continue to evolve and adjust to the market just like they’ve done for over a century. If you’re one of the 33,000 dry cleaners in the United States, it can feel like trying times. But you’re not alone. In fact, you have a large community of dry cleaners–as evident by the 11,000 attendees at this year’s Clean Show–and resources at your fingertips.
From government resources and associations to publications and thought leaders, here’s a list of the top 10 resources available to dry cleaners.
1. NATIONAL AND REGIONAL DRY CLEANING ASSOCIATIONS
Here’s a few of the dry cleaning association logos.
Drycleaning & Laundry Institute International(DLI) is a membership-based organization aimed to empower drycleaning entrepreneurs and their staff to offer the best quality and customer service in the industry.
DLI has a network of thousands of dry cleaners. DLI’s blog regularly shares industry best practices on all dry cleaning and laundry topics from clothing drop off processes to removing stains, cleaning, finishing, and packaging. DLI also offers valuable business information including employee relations, hiring, firing, governmental and running a small business.
DLI’s School of Drycleaning Technology offers several courses throughout the year, online certification testing and renewals, and courses across the US.
Check out some of the associations available to dry cleaners throughout the U.S.
Cleaner and Launderer has been around since 1960. Originally, the publication was called “Western Cleaner & Launderer,” and served industry news and information to dry cleaners throughout California. Now, readership and distribution have grown exponentially with copies of the monthly edition landing in mailboxes across all 50 states. In 2007, the name was changed to “Cleaner and Launderer” as the brand expanded its reach in digital and social networks. Helpful articles in Cleaner and Launderer run the gamut from industry updates and employee morale tips to monthly columns, such as:
Word From the Street, where John Leano shares business management.
the Environmental Corner, where EnviroForensics’ Jeff Carnahan shares educational content on environmental contamination and cleanup, advice on addressing environmental liabilities, and tips for finding the funds to pay for environmental cleanups and legal fees
Show Your Customers Your Expertise, where Kenny Slatten provides textile treatment insights and tips.
The front page of Cleaner and Launderer’s July 2019 issue.
American Drycleaner is one of the leading dry cleaning publication in the country. Distributed in both print and digital format, the magazine boasts a wide variety of resources for both small and large dry cleaning business owners. Their mission is to help dry cleaners run their businesses better, with up-to-the-minute information on industry news, events and trends. Other valuable resources on their website include:
National Clothesline is a free publication for dry cleaners and is read by close to 20,000 cleaners and suppliers across the country and around the world. The newsletter provides news and information needed by garment care professionals to be successful in a rapidly changing industry. On the National Clothesline website, along with its digital edition, you will also find a “Resources” page that includes:
An online forum for dry cleaners
A directory of business consultants
A list of courses and seminars provided to dry cleaners
Books, DVDs, and other forms of helpful media
Government regulations for dry cleaners
The front page of the National Clothesline’s July 2019 issue.
5. FABRICARE MAGAZINE DLI publishes the Fabricare magazine on a quarterly basis and provides resources and education to dry cleaners. This magazine features educational, management and industry resources and covers topics like
As the dry cleaning industry’s most trusted environmental consultant, EnviroForensics’ Blog aims to empower dry cleaners with a host of helpful articles, educational content, and informative posts about the different issues, process and questions that dry cleaners encounter when they’re addressing their environmental liabilities.
PolicyFind is an insurance archeology firm that locates historical insurance policies for business and property owners, municipalities, attorneys and private equity firms. So, if you’re looking for your old insurance policies to help pay for an environmental investigation and cleanup, PolicyFind™, is a great resource. PolicyFind’s blog is a helpful resource, too, with educational content and case law updates.
Environmental laws vary from state to state but ultimately echo the laws at the federal level. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has its guidance on common dry cleaning solvents like PERCposted to their website, alongside thousands of peer-reviewed studies and other archives.
The EPA’s webpage on tetrachloroethylene (Perc, PCE).
9. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR: OSHA REGULATIONS FOR DRY CLEANERS It’s important for dry cleaners to up to date on occupational safety and health. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has it’s set standards for dry cleaners along with resources for hazard recognition on their website as a resource for dry cleaners.
The OSHA standards resource webpage for dry cleaners.
10. SMALL BUSINESS OWNER MARKETING TOOLS Drycleaners are small business owners and they have to run an entire business while maintaining their drycleaning operations. It’s a lot to handle and it isn’t for the faint of heart. How can drycleaners keep up with the digital demands on small business owners? They can use marketing tools to help get the word out about their business and share their unique selling points in a way customers will want to engage with your business.
Wix and Squarespace are helpful for website development and management.
Mailchimpis a great tool for email marketing. You can update your clients on discounts, news or best practices for taking care of their clothes.
Canva is an easy graphic design tool for social media graphics, posters, flyers, and brochure templates.
Hootsuite and SproutSocial are good tools for social media scheduling and management.
LEARN HOW VAPOR INTRUSION CAN IMPACT INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN BUILDINGS AND THREATEN HUMAN HEALTH, AND FIND OUT WHAT CAN BE DONE TO MITIGATE THIS RISK.
Vapor Intrusion, or VI, occurs when contamination beneath the ground emits toxic vapors that can travel through the soil and enter the interior spaces of houses and buildings. The types of contamination most commonly associated with VI concerns are industrial solvents like chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs), and petroleum products like gasoline. The Environmental Protection Agency just released final guidance on vapor intrusion issues, which regulates how inhalation exposures from VI are assessed and controlled.
There has been a great deal of concern in recent years about the potential for harmful health effects related to VI exposure, and many people are unintentionally involved. In turn, there has been a lot of concern from those who hold legal liability for the contamination, even if they didn’t cause it. Every day, it seems, a new VI case emerges where one or more homeowner learns that they and their family may have been exposed in the past, or are now being exposed, to harmful vapors from contamination. Even commercial buildings and strip malls can be subject to VI. The affected buildings are typically located near, but not necessarily adjacent, to current or historical drycleaning facilities, factories, or gas stations. If you own a home or building located near a commercial corridor or close to a manufacturing area, you may wonder if VI is a problem at your home. Here are 5 things to consider when you ask that question and contemplate the potential answer.
1. SUBSURFACE VAPORS CAN TRAVEL A SIGNIFICANT DISTANCE FROM ITS SOURCE When looking around your home or building to determine if it’s located near a potential source of harmful vapors, keep in mind that vapors travel in the subsurface. They move within the open, air-filled spaces in the soils above the water table. There are many scientific factors and variables that affect the direction and extent to which vapors move. As such, it’s problematic to predict. Generally, many regulatory agencies use a rule of thumb whereby if a structure is within a 100-foot radius of a release of volatile contaminants, it should be further assessed for potential VI issues.
2. PAST SOURCES OF VI MAY BE HIDDEN FROM VIEW BY PROPERTY REDEVELOPMENT. Just because there isn’t a gas station or dry cleaner near you now, it doesn’t mean that one didn’t used to be there. Commercial and industrial properties are being bought and sold on a daily basis, and individual commercial tenants come and go. Especially in busy traffic corridors that pass through residential parts of town. As a result, there may be no indication that a dry cleaner operated in your corner strip mall for 20 years, and then moved out 10 years ago. Also, you can probably expect that in older parts of town, just about every corner of a busy traffic intersection accommodated a petroleum gas station at some point in history. There are ways of learning about the commercial history and land transfer records at local libraries. An individual can go find the City Directories and look it up. There are also commercially available sources of this data for wider real estate uses.
3. WHEN A SOURCE OF VI IS FOUND BY ITS RESPONSIBLE PARTY, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO FULLY INVESTIGATE AND ADDRESS ANY POTENTIAL EXPOSURE. Although the scientific study of how vapors of different industrial origins move within the subsurface is still developing, and the health effects related to breathing them are still under evaluation, the federal, state and local environmental regulatory agencies are very keyed-in to identifying sites with potential VI issues. If a commercial property transaction results in the knowledge that past use included an activity that may have potentially resulted in contamination, it is most often confirmed or denied through the collection and analysis of soil and groundwater samples. If contamination is identified, the state environmental regulatory agency is notified. The responsible party for the contamination then is required to begin the process of investigating the extent of the impacts and finding who may be exposed to the contamination. The potential for VI is being watched very closely by the agencies. So it is possible, and probably a good idea, to contact your state environmental regulatory agency to inquire if there are any active contamination investigations or cleanups occurring in your vicinity. Their websites may actually have interactive maps or searchable databases where you can find this information on your own. If there is a site in your neighborhood and your structure is within 100 feet of it, you can likely expect a request to for sampling. The best way to know if there is a concern is to let the environmental professionals do their job. Be sure to put in your access agreement that they’ll let you have the results.
4. THE NEED TO INTERVENE IF VI IS OCCURRING AT YOUR HOME OR BUILDING IS ASSESSED BY THE REGULATORY AGENCIES USING CONSERVATIVE SCREENING LEVELS. The health effects related to the inhalation of vapors from industrial contamination are still being evaluated. The exact amount of individual chemicals that are “safe” to breathe is not yet known. By using overly conservative toxicological factors, and by overestimating the amount of chemicals that individuals may be exposed to, the agencies have developed a set of “screening criteria” to frame exposure. The goal is to overestimate the potential for harmful effects of VI exposure, and therein addressed and eliminated every actual exposure scenario. The reality for occupants of commercial or residential buildings who are breathing contaminated air, is that the health-based screening level communicated to you is not actually the level at which your health will be immediately harmed. That doesn’t mean that you have to continue breathing it, but there is no need to panic.
5. EXPOSURES IN THE HOME FROM NATURALLY OCCURRING RADON GAS AND VI FROM CONTAMINATION ARE ELIMINATED IN ESSENTIALLY THE SAME FASHION. In many parts of the country, radioactive radon gas is constantly emanating from decaying rocks and soils. Radon comes into contact with occupied structures and is subsequently breathed by people. This is exactly the same process as VI from contaminant sources. The process of determining if radon is present in private homes has been part of the residential real estate process for many years. As such, many more people are familiar with radon than VI. The good news is that if your home or commercial building has a radon mitigation system already installed and in operation, you may be protected from subsurface VI concerns. Typically, however, mitigation systems designed for VI from industrial chemicals are more robust.
John Neu, Account Executive, EnviroForensics
Kristen Brown, Director of Operations, PolicyFind
