Unless otherwise defined in this chapter, the definitions of terms included in Section 22-30-3 shall be applicable to this chapter. For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) ABANDONED DRYCLEANING FACILITY. Any real property premises or individual leasehold space located in this state owned by any person in which a drycleaning facility or wholesale distribution facility formerly operated; provided, however, that any owner or operator or wholesale distributor who shall have elected not to be covered by the provisions of this chapter shall not be considered a person owning or leasing such a facility for the purposes of this chapter.
(2) ADJACENT LAND OWNER. Any owner, lessor, or mortgagee of any real property onto which contamination from a drycleaning facility, abandoned drycleaning facility, or wholesale distribution facility of any owner or operator or wholesale distributor who shall have elected to be covered by the provisions of this chapter has migrated or is threatening to migrate; or any of the successors or assigns, predecessors-in-title, and successors-in-title of the foregoing.
(3) AHWMMA. The Alabama Hazardous Waste Management and Minimization Act.
(4) BOARD. The Alabama Drycleaning Environmental Response Trust Advisory Board created under Section 22-30D-8.
(5) CONTAMINATION. The presence of drycleaning agent in soil, groundwater, surface water, or any other medium at or on a drycleaning facility, abandoned drycleaning facility, wholesale distribution facility, or any real property of any impacted third party.
(6) DEPARTMENT. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management, or any successor department or agency of the state.
(7) DIRECTOR. The Director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, or any successor department or agency of the state.
(8) DRYCLEANING AGENT. Any non-hydrocarbon chlorine or hydrocarbon-based formulations or products used or to be used as a primary cleaning agent in the cleaning of garments, apparel, or household fabrics at a drycleaning facility and includes, but is not limited to, perchloroethylene, also known as tetrachloroethylene, other chemicals using CAS No. 127-18-4, solvent-charged detergent, spotting agents, glutone and any other chlorine or petroleum-based formulations or products and the substances into which any such formulations or products degrade.
(9) DRYCLEANING FACILITY. A place of business, located at or on any real property premises or individual leasehold space located in this state which operates, or has operated in the past, in whole or in part, a commercial facility for the purpose of laundering or cleaning garments, apparel, or household fabrics for the general public using any process that involves the use of drycleaning agents. The term "drycleaning facility" specifically includes: All contiguous land, structures, and other appurtenances and improvements on the land used in connection with a drycleaning facility; tuxedo rental facilities renting to the general public which conduct drycleaning operations on the premises; and "route sales," "dry stores," "stores," or other facilities located in this state which do not engage in on-site laundering or drycleaning but which have laundering or drycleaning performed off-site by any person, including the person owning the "route sales," "dry store," or "pick-up store". The following facilities are excepted from the definition of "drycleaning facility":
a. A "stand-alone" coin-operated laundry or a coin-operated drycleaning facility.
b. A facility located on a United States military base or owned by the United States, or any department or agency thereof.
c. A facility owned or leased by the state, any county, city, town, or public or quasi-public organization of the state, any public subdivision thereof, or any agency or department thereof, or any body corporate or system of the state under the management or administration of a board of control or governing board established by the state.
d. A facility primarily engaged in uniform service or linen supply.
e. Prisons, hotels, motels, industrial launderers or drycleaners not providing services to the general public, hospitals, or nursing homes.
f. Any facility owned or leased by any owner or operator who shall elect not to be covered by this chapter.
(10) FUND. Alabama Drycleaning Environmental Response Trust Fund created under Section 22-30D-5.
(11) IMPACTED THIRD PARTY. Any person who is or has been an owner, lessor, or mortgagee of real property on which is or has been located a drycleaning facility, abandoned drycleaning facility, or wholesale distribution facility of any owner or operator or wholesale distributor who has elected to be covered by this chapter or any of the successors or assigns, predecessors-in-title, and successors-in-title of the foregoing.
(12) OWNER or OPERATOR. Any person who owns or leases an active drycleaning facility and who is or has been responsible for operations at such drycleaning facility and who shall elect to be covered by this chapter.
(13) PERSON. An individual, trust, firm, joint venture, consortium, joint-stock company, corporation, partnership, association, or limited liability company. Person does not include any governmental organization.
(14) REGISTRATION FEE. Registration fees required to be paid pursuant to Section 22-30D-6 by each owner or operator of any drycleaning facility operating in this state who shall elect to be covered by this chapter and by each wholesale distributor selling to drycleaning facilities in this state who shall elect to be covered by this chapter.
(15) RELEASE. Any actual spilling, pouring, overfilling, leaking, leaching, emitting, discharging, or escaping of drycleaning agents at or from a drycleaning facility or wholesale distribution facility into the soils or waters of the state.
(16) REPORTABLE QUANTITY. A known release outside of containment of a drycleaning agent in excess of the federal reporting standards.
(17) SITE. Land on which a drycleaning facility, abandoned drycleaning facility, or wholesale distribution facility is or has been physically located.
(18) SMALL BUSINESS. Any person owning or leasing any drycleaning facility, wholesale distribution facility, or abandoned drycleaning facility in this state and having a net worth of two million dollars ($2,000,000) or less each calendar year from the time of discovery of contamination through the present.
(19) STATE. The State of Alabama.
(20) WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION FACILITY. A place of business located in this state of a wholesale distributor or any real property premises or individual leasehold space located in this state, occupied by a wholesale distributor who shall elect to be covered by this chapter.
(21) WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR. Any person whose primary business is selling drycleaning agents and supplies to drycleaning facilities and who shall elect to be covered by this chapter. "Primary business" as used in this definition means the percentage of the person's gross receipts from the sale of laundry and drycleaning agents and supplies equals or exceeds 20 percent of the total gross receipts of such person.
Last modified: May 3, 2021