Helping Small Businesses Implement Toxics Use Reduction Techniques. 2011.

The Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI), Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), and Vietnamese American Initiative for Development (Viet-AID) have worked with small business sectors to reduce their use of toxic chemicals. Three cases, described here, in dry cleaning, auto shops and floor finishing share common approaches for creating successful models of effective dissemination of toxics use reduction in small businesses. These include direct business support, peer-to-peer training and promotion of alternatives, and collaborations with stakeholders to achieve greener businesses. These results were achieved despite predictable barriers of lack of resources, suspicion of safer alternatives, and language and cultural barriers.

Authors: J. Onasch,  P. Shoemaker, H. M. Nguyen, C. Roelofs

Chapter published in Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 19, Issue 5