A project proposed by Ram Leather Care Inc. of Detroit has qualified for funding under the Department of Environmental Quality’s new Small Business Pollution Prevention Loan Program.

Ram Leather Care will use the $100,000 low-interest loan to replace its less-efficient dry-cleaning equipment. The program is part of the Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI), a $675 million environmental bond proposed by Gov. John Engler and overwhelmingly approved by voters in 1998. The program provides small businesses with low-interest loans of up to $100,000 to implement projects that eliminate or reduce waste through source reduction or recycling.

"Michigan’s dry-cleaning business sector has enthusiastically stepped up to the challenge of implementing pollution prevention through this loan program," DEQ Director Russell Harding said. "In fact, this company is the first applicant to seek a loan for a dry-cleaning technology that uses a safer cleaning-solvent approach."

The machinery upgrade resulted from a recommendation by the Retired Technical Assistance Program (RETAP), which is funded through CMI. This free, confidential service offers retired professionals who evaluate businesses for waste reduction and operational efficiency opportunities. The 6-year-old program boasts significant savings of as much as

$50,000 for businesses that implement the RETAP recommendations. The pollution prevention investments generally pay for themselves in less than three years.

"We appreciate the opportunity to use the DEQ’s RETAP and pollution prevention loan programs," said Michael Munson, owner of Ram Leather Care. "The RETAP program gave us great advice on how to save money, and the loan program enhances the savings with the low-interest loan."

The company will replace both of its older perchloroethylene-based dry-cleaning machines. One will use alternative cleaning solvents that are less toxic than perchloroethylene, such as the silicon-based cleaning solvent called GreenEarth or the hydrocarbon-based cleaner DR-2000.

The new machine will allow the company to cut its annual perchloroethylene usage by 360 gallons. In addition, the more efficient equipment reduces the use of cooling water and the amount of energy needed to power the boiler associated with the machinery.

Under the program, the DEQ participates with the company’s local bank, each funding half of the loan proceeds. In this instance, Bank One Business Banking of Plymouth will participate in the loan.