New study highlights how the Haz Waste Program helped small businesses adopt safer degreasers

When people think about hazardous chemicals, they often picture large industrial facilities. But thousands of small businesses across King County from auto repair shops and maintenance companies to manufacturers and service providers use products every day that can expose workers to potentially harmful chemicals.

A recent King County project is showing that safer alternatives are possible and that small businesses are willing to make the switch when they have the right support.

Researchers with the Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County recently published the results of a pilot project that helped local businesses test and adopt safer alternatives to traditional degreasers, products commonly used to clean equipment, parts, and machinery.

Many conventional degreasers contain chemicals that can affect worker health. Short-term exposure can cause headaches, dizziness, skin irritation, and breathing problems, while long-term exposure may contribute to more serious health concerns.

The project set out to answer a simple question: What would help small businesses choose safer products?

To find out, the Program partnered with 50 businesses across King County. Participating businesses received free product trials, technical assistance, and financial support to help evaluate safer alternatives without taking on additional risk or cost.

The results were encouraging.

Many businesses successfully tested safer products, and several permanently changed their operations after finding alternatives that worked for their needs. Business owners consistently pointed to hands-on support and financial assistance as key factors in helping them explore new options.

"Everyone deserves a safe and healthy workplace, regardless of where they work," said Dr. Roger J. Chin, epidemiologist and lead researcher of the project with the Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County. "Our findings demonstrate that combining technical assistance, financial incentives, and relationship-based outreach can help reduce hazardous chemical exposures while improving access to resources for businesses and workers who may face greater environmental and occupational health risks."

The project also revealed some of the challenges businesses face when trying to reduce chemical risks. Many participants said they were interested in safer products but lacked information about available alternatives, had concerns about performance, or worried about the costs of making changes.

By addressing those barriers directly, the project helped businesses make informed decisions while reducing potential exposures for workers.

The effort was also designed with equity in mind. Researchers sought to better understand the needs of diverse business owners and workers across King County, recognizing that some communities may experience greater environmental and occupational health burdens than others.

The lessons learned extend beyond King County. The study provides a practical roadmap that other communities can use to help businesses reduce toxic exposures, improve worker safety, and prevent pollution before it starts.

For the Hazardous Waste Management Program, the findings reinforce an important principle: protecting public health and the environment doesn't always require sweeping changes. Sometimes it starts with helping businesses make safer choices—one workplace at a time.

The study, "Integrating Equity and Sustainability: Lessons Learned From the Adoption of Safer Degreasers by Small Businesses," was published in the June 2026 issue of the Journal of Environmental Health.