We are proud to share that Kaplan’s Careful Cleaners of Camp Hill, PA, has been selected as a recipient of the 2025 Small Business Environmental Stewardship Award by the National Small Business Environmental Assistance Programs (SBEAPs). This prestigious national honor recognizes the company’s exceptional leadership in pollution prevention and sustainability. In addition, it recognizes mentoring and its commitment to a cleaner Pennsylvania.
A Multi-Generational Transition to Environmentally-Friendly Technology
The award highlights a successful partnership between two generations of small business leadership. Alana Kaplan served as the catalyst for the project, advocating for the family business to modernize its facility. She also pushed for the business to move away from hazardous chemicals. Working alongside her father, Dale Kaplan, who has chaired Pennsylvania’s Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee for 25 years, the team successfully navigated a complex technical and regulatory transition.
The Impact: Cleaner Air and a Stronger Bottom Line
With technical assistance from EMAP and a Small Business Advantage Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Small Business Ombudsman’s Office, the Kaplans retired their equipment using perchloroethylene (PERC), a known hazardous air pollutant.
By switching to an advanced aqueous cleaning system, Kaplan’s Careful Cleaners achieved:
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100% Elimination of PERC: Removing approximately 260 gallons of hazardous solvent waste annually.
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Significant Financial Savings: An estimated $23,432 in annual savings through reduced solvent purchases, lower waste disposal fees, and decreased regulatory compliance costs.
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Enhanced Safety: A healthier environment for employees, customers, and the Camp Hill community.
Leadership in the Small Business Community
Dale Kaplan has spent over two decades mentoring peers on pollution prevention and sustainability. By sharing their firsthand experience transitioning to aqueous cleaning, the Kaplans reinforce the idea that collaboration with state technical experts is both accessible and highly worthwhile. This is especially important for small business owners. Their example challenges industry norms and empowers others to adopt safer, cleaner technologies.
How EMAP Can Help Your Small Business
Kaplan’s Careful Cleaners serves as a national model for how small businesses can adopt safer, more sustainable technologies while improving profitability.
The team at EMAP is dedicated to providing free, confidential technical assistance to help Pennsylvania entrepreneurs navigate environmental regulations. EMAP can also help small businesses identify funding opportunities for pollution prevention upgrades and to improve operations.
