SBA Update No Cause For Concern

SBA Update No Cause For Concern

By: Zarah Eads

The Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced an update to its Standard Operating Procedure regarding Lender and Development Company Loan Programs. And once again, being a GreenEarth Affiliate pays off.

*Cue hair flip*

It will go into effect Jan. 1, 2018. However, loans that were approved prior still fall under the previous SOP edition.

The new policy concerns dry cleaners’ use of solvents. Any on-site cleaning facilities that have used chlorinated solutions, like tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene, or petroleum-based     solutions, will now be subject to a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment.

Phase I also still applies, requiring a historical audit of the premises. This might include interviews with current or past landowners, an on-site visual inspection as well as a written report. If Phase I comes back showing a possibility of contamination Phase II begins. Here, the business could undergo surficial and sub-surficial soil analysis, the installation of monitoring wells, and indoor air sampling. If a positive test for hazardous substances, investigators will begin Phase III, site remediation, which can be the most costly for owners.

Since our solvent, D5 liquid silicone, has been proven environmentally non-toxic, the SOP won’t apply (YAY!).

Affiliates like Jack Alquist, who owns Guild Cleaners in Lodi, California, experienced first-hand the repercussions of contamination before switching to GreenEarth.

“For the last 16 1/2 years, I’ve been involved in environmental issues on a number of fronts,” he told us. “Now I use a solution that will not put us in that situation. The GreenEarth solution is definitely one of the best business decisions I’ve ever made.”

Yeah, we’re pretty cool like that.

On a more serious note though, there is truly peace of mind in knowing that this process is safe for customers, their clothing, and the planet. Plus, we believe it cleans just as effectively, if not better.

Thank you to our Affiliates for your commitment to this solution. Our job is better because of you. While we didn’t initiate this SBA update, we’re happy to share that rewards are evident at a store level too.