OAQDA Helps Long-Standing Butler County Dry Cleaner Invest in Its Future Ahead of Federal Solvent Phaseout

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2026

Media Contact: Lindsey Sanders
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OAQDA Helps Long-Standing Butler County Dry Cleaner Invest in Its Future Ahead of Federal Solvent Phaseout

Pleasant Run Cleaners receives critical financing to eliminate harmful solvents, protect local jobs, and continue operations

COLUMBUS - The Ohio Air Quality Development Authority (OAQDA) issued revenue bonds to finance new dry cleaning equipment at Pleasant Run Cleaners, a long-standing small business in Butler County. The financing will help the Fairfield business comply with federal clean air requirements, modernize operations, and retain jobs in the community. Cinfed Credit Union partnered with OAQDA to purchase the bonds, which unlocked private capital to fund the project.

The project will replace outdated perchlorethylene (PERC)-based equipment with a new dry cleaning machine that complies with the latest federal regulation prohibiting PERC solvents, a known carcinogen, in dry-cleaning operations. The new equipment eliminates the use of the toxic solvent, improves the economic stability of the small businesses, and creates safer working conditions for employees.

As Ohio's Small Business Ombudsman, OAQDA is taking a proactive role in helping small businesses navigate changing air quality requirements and make the investments needed to remain viable. OAQDA targets financial assistance through its Small Business Clean Air Program, especially local businesses faced with costly compliance needs to meet federal regulations. Pleasant Run Cleaners is transitioning away from equipment that utilizes PERC solvents and is partnering with OAQDA to invest in technology that supports the business's continued operation with safer solvents for its long-term future.

"When small businesses face significant costs to comply with federal requirements, OAQDA is a partner to address the gaps in project funding by making access to financial capital easier and more affordable through the use of targeted assistance," said Christina O'Keeffe, executive director of OAQDA. "As Ohio's Small Business Ombudsman, we are listening and tailoring our programs to help local businesses navigate these challenges, partner on these investments, and protect the jobs and services they provide in communities across Ohio."

Pleasant Run Cleaners, a family-owned business located at 6106 Winton Road in Fairfield that has served the community for more than 46 years, will replace two older machines with a modern dual-tank system capable of safely using solvents that can efficiently handle a broader range of garments. As new ownership steps in to continue the business's legacy, the project will help improve healthier workplace performance, strengthen business operations, and retain five full-time jobs, with the potential to add additional employees as operations grow. The project will be supported by $70,000 in financing, along with $14,000 in additional financial assistance.

"Pleasant Run Cleaners has been an important part of Butler County's community for decades, and investments like this help ensure businesses like it can continue creating jobs and serving our community for years to come," said State Representative Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester).

"Helping small businesses finance the equipment needed to comply with federally mandated clean air requirements strengthens our local economy, protects jobs, and gives employers the opportunity to continue growing," said State Senator George F. Lang (R-West Chester).

"We're proud to continue the legacy of Pleasant Run Cleaners while investing in equipment that creates a safer and more efficient operation," said Rodney Sears, co-owner of Pleasant Run Cleaners. "This financing helps position us for future growth while continuing to provide reliable service to our customers and community."

The project is expected to contribute approximately $457,000 in local economic activity through the retention of 5 full-time jobs. In addition, the project is estimated to reduce the impact of toxic emissions by an estimated $490,000 through reductions in associated healthcare and environmental costs, benefiting workers, customers, and the broader community.

Investing in this new equipment will allow these businesses to comply with federal clean air requirements, which involve a final rule issued by the U.S. EPA that bans PERC over a phase-out period. Through its Small Business Clean Air Program, OAQDA is proactively helping Ohio dry cleaners address these requirements by providing financial tools to assist in the transition to safer, modern equipment, helping protect workers, preserve jobs, and keep long-standing small businesses operating in their communities.

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The Ohio Air Quality Development Authority (OAQDA) is an independent state agency that partners with cities, counties, and other municipalities across the state to stimulate job growth, drive economic benefits, and improve community health through financing air quality projects. OAQDA's primary activity is to further economic development in Ohio by providing financing and incentives for projects that cause a reduction in air emissions, regardless of whether the project uses coal, natural gas, oil or another resource type. Since its creation in 1970, OAQDA has issued more than $6 billion in revenue bonds for air quality projects to help Ohio employers achieve energy cost reductions and improve air quality. For more information about OAQDA and its services, please visit ohioairquality.ohio.gov.