News Releases - 1997

Clean Break Environmental Outreach Program to Small Business Ends Statewide Availability Dec. 31 -- New Phase to Start New Year

Springfield, Ill. -- There are just 21 shopping days until Christmas and 27 days for small business owners in Illinois to sign up for the current Clean Break program to assist firms to meet their environmental obligations without fear of fines or other penalties.

Starting Jan. 1, 1998, Clean Break will enter a new phase of partnership, with business and trade associations taking a greater leadership role.

The current program open to all statewide small businesses was launched by Governor Jim Edgar in January after successful pilot programs involving printing and automotive shops in 1996 and the Rockford regional area in 1995. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has operated the program with assistance from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Development.

"The Clean Break program has been invaluable to small businesses across Illinois as it has helped them meet increasingly complex environmental protection rules in an affordable manner," Governor Edgar said.

"Because of innovative programs like Clean Break, Illinois' air, soil, and water are cleaner than they were even a decade ago, and businesses throughout Illinois are stepping forward to help ensure the quality of our environment for generations to come," the governor added.

"Nearly 600 small businesses in Illinois have been assisted by Clean Break. Those are 600 success stories for a cleaner and healthier environment and in many cases they have also reduced costs for the participating firms. But now is the time for this program to evolve into a new phase with individual business associations and organizations taking responsibility for marketing and promotion," said Illinois EPA Director Mary Gade.

Gade announced the North Business and Industrial Council in Chicago will be the first sponsor to step forward for the new phase of Clean Break. "NORBIC's Environmental Technologies Program makes it a leader among regional business associations in our state and we appreciate its continued commitment to Clean Break," Gade said.

"NORBIC is pleased to work with Director Gade, the Illinois EPA, and DCCA to sponsor the continuation of the Clean Break amnesty program in the NORBIC area.

We have a strong indication, from the recent activity level in our Environmental Technologies Program, that Clean Break is an excellent opportunity for small and mid-sized manufacturers to ensure their compliance with environmental regulations, " said Carl Bufalini, President and CEO of NORBIC.

Other sponsors are being recruited across the state among trade associations, economic development groups, chambers of commerce, and other business organizations.

Despite numerous positive testimonials from business owners that participated in Clean Break, a traditional fear of government has continued to make many small business owners wary of the assistance program.

"With business organizations taking the lead to market this program to their constituents, we believe the trust factor will increase and the business owners and the environment will benefit," Gade said.

The organizations will be asked to present a three to four month plan for managing the marketing and enrollment of new clients. Illinois EPA staff will continue to perform all the Clean Break visits and provide environmental assistance.

"Many industrial firms in our service area simply do not have the in-house resources to keep up with the changes in regulatory requirements that may impact them on an on-going basis. The ability to utilize the IEPA's personnel to define those requirements, while under a protective umbrella from enforcement, is invaluable," said Bufalini.

Clean Break was originally launched as a result of a recommendation from Governor Edgar's Task Force on Small Business in 1994. It has since been used as a model by other states to reach out to small business for environmental compliance and pollution prevention.

Small business owners participating in Clean Break have saved more than $1 million in waived penalties since the violations were discovered under the amnesty provisions.

In addition, both the environment and small businesses have benefitted from the program through:

• Learning better how to manage wastes and comply with regulations;

• Properly disposing of an over-accumulation of hazardous waste, thus eliminating a threat to the environment and a liability for the owner;

• After worrying for years, many business owners learned they had very little additional to do for full compliance.

• Regulatory reforms, such as the exemption of some equipment from air permitting and changes to the special waste regulations to remove the unnecessary burden of expensive analysis and additional disposal costs for some special wastes.

• Identifying methods to prevent pollution before its created, often resulting in cost-savings.

Small businesses, with 200 employees or less, who wish to sign up for the current statewide program before it expires Dec. 31, are encouraged to call the Illinois EPA Office of Small Business toll-free hotline at 1-888-EPA(372)-1996.

Starting Jan. 1, Clean Break will only be available to businesses within business organizations or geographic areas where a sponsor is participating.