Financial Incentive Grant Program
To Assist Dry Cleaners To Purchase
Non-Perc Alternative Technologies

Dry Cleaners -- You Can Get Up to $20,000 in Grant Money
for Buying a Non-Perc Machine.

Program Background

If you are a dry cleaner operating within the 4-county jurisdiction of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), we want to help you switch to a dry cleaning machine that does not use the toxic chemical, perchloroethylene (perc).

The AQMD’s dry cleaning rule (Rule 1421) includes deadlines that will gradually phase out the use of perc in this region.   Don’t wait until the deadline.  We are offering grant money for a limited time to encourage you to switch to non-perc equipment as soon as possible.  There is a limited amount of money available, and it will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. 

• $20,000 grants available for:  CO2 Machines

• $10,000 grants available for:  Professional Wet Cleaning Systems (water-based system consisting of washer, dryer, tensioning pants topper, and tensioning form finisher, AQMD approved equipment only)

• Up to $5,000 grants available for:  Incomplete Professional Wet Cleaning Systems (AQMD approved equipment only, contact an AQMD representative for details)

Please note that grant funds are only available for cleaning equipment
listed in the document titled “Equipment Report: CO2 and Professional Wet
Cleaning Technologies”.  Additional equipment
may be approved by AQMD on a case-by-case basis.

For application forms, instructions and other information about the grant program, call our Small Business Assistance number, (800) CUT-SMOG, or download them through the links below.

Program News

May 2010:  The AQMD has updated their Application form and Instructions.  This form is required for any new or existing grant applications that have not yet received funding.

February 2008:  The AQMD has updated their Business Information Request form.  This form is required for any new or existing grant applications that have not yet received funding.

October 5, 2007:  The AQMD has approved $1,000,000 in additional funding for the dry cleaner grant program from the Air Quality Assistance Fund.  Funding is for professional wet cleaning systems and CO2 machines only.

April 6, 2007:  The AQMD has approved $250,000 in additional funding for the dry cleaner grant program from the Air Quality Assistance Fund.  Funding is for professional wet cleaning systems only.

February 2007:  The AQMD has reserved all funding for the settlement funds, dry cleaner grant program.  The AQMD is no longer accepting applications for this grant program.

November 2006:  The AQMD has disbursed the final grants from the original $2 million in grant funding for the dry cleaner grant program.

April 7, 2006:  The AQMD has approved $1 million in additional funding for the dry cleaner grant program through use of AQMD settlement funds.

September 24, 2003:  The City of Burbank has authorized $10,000 in total funding for grants to dry cleaners in Burbank.  The Burbank Department of Water and Power and the AQMD have planned an outreach meeting to explain the recent amendments to the dry cleaning rule (Rule 1421), and describe the grant program intended to encourage dry cleaners to purchase new, non-perc cleaning systems.  The meeting will be open to all dry cleaners and vendors, regardless of location.

In addition, the AQMD is planning additional meetings to explain the recent amendments to the dry cleaning rule (Rule 1421), and describe the grant program intended to encourage dry cleaners to purchase new, non-perc cleaning systems.  Staff will also give a status update for the program. Visit this webpage for the meeting announcements or call one of the staff listed below.

July 18, 2003:  The AQMD has revised the application form and instruction form.  The AQMD has also included information on the Professional Wet Cleaning Demonstration Program that is coordinated through the AQMD Technology Advancement Office.

April 4, 2003:  Grant applications for GreenEarth® machines that have been received after April 4, 2003, have been suspended.  Please see the recently issued notice (click here for MS Word document).  For further information, please contact one of the staff listed below.

March 11, 2003:  The AQMD has conducted a series of meetings to explain the recent amendments to the dry cleaning rule (Rule 1421), and describe the grant program intended to encourage dry cleaners to purchase new, non-perc cleaning systems.  There is a limited amount of grant money available, so don’t miss your opportunity to apply.  If you missed the meetings and would like to schedule a personal appointment, please contact one of the staff listed below.

Forms and Instructions

Original, signed copies of form numbers 1, 3, 4, and 5 are all required for each grant application.  Each grant application package must also include a clear copy of the purchase agreement or invoice. Each piece of professional wet cleaning equipment must be AQMD approved - see #6 below, "Equipment Report: CO2 and Professional Wet Cleaning Technologies."

* Original signature required on these forms.

Questions/Assistance:

If you have any questions on, or require any assistance with, the non-perc financial incentive grant applications and/or equipment approved for the grant program, please contact the following staff: 

Gregory Ushijima               (909) 396-3301