Kenneth and Ruth Lubben of Gay's Cleaners have qualified to receive a $38,762 low-interest loan through the Department of Environmental Quality's Small Business Pollution Prevention Loan Program.

The dry cleaner plans to replace its older dry cleaning equipment with a more efficient machine that uses less cleaning solvent and produces less waste.  As a result, the company will significantly reduce its annual purchase of perchloroethylene, a hazardous cleaning solvent, and reduce the disposal amounts of hazardous spent filters and liquid industrial waste.

The DEQ and the company's local lending institution, Isabella Bank, each contributed half of the loan proceeds.

"Receiving this low-interest loan has allowed us to proceed with a project that was greatly needed," said Ruth Lubben, owner of Gay's Cleaners.   "We are excited that with the help of this program we can save money while creating a healthier work environment for our employees."

Businesses with fewer than 500 employees can apply for loans of up to $400,000 with a guaranteed interest rate of not more than five percent.  The short application helps businesses describe how their projects will eliminate or reduce waste through source reduction, environmentally sound reuse, and/or recycling; including water and energy conservation projects.

Loans are available to all private business sectors including farming, manufacturing, retail, and service.  For more information, contact the DEQ's Environmental Assistance Center at 1-800-662-9278, or by e-mail at deq-ead-env-assist@michigan.gov.

Editor's note:  DEQ news releases are available on the department's Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

"Protecting Michigan's Environment, Ensuring Michigan's Future"