Figures published by the state's Department of the Environment on 19 January showed that 285 applications had been filed and that 86 have been processed and approved, at a total cost of US$2.4million.
The DEP set up a $5million fund seven months ago to help drycleaners pay for the upgrades and this was financed by the settlement of a lawsuit against three mid-west power plants. DEP said that it wants to direct the grants to businesses in residential settings or in mixed commercial and residential strip malls as well as to those within 50ft of day care centres.
"This programme reduces toxic emissions, benefiting the public health and welfare," said DEP Commissioner Bob Martin. "It also has eased the burden on small business owners who are making sacrifices for the public good."
The cost of replacing a drycleaning system is around $45,000 to $60,000 and the average grant is about $25,000. An additional $15,000 is available for companies that opt to switch to wetcleaning.
A proposed state rule would ban drycleaning machines that use perc from residential or day care settings in New Jersey by 2014. A federal rule would outlaw those machines in similar settings by 2020.
California has approved a ban on perc use in drycleaning by 2023.
