Local businesses making a difference
Clean air is one of our most precious resources and we all have a role in helping protect it, including businesses. Most businesses are dedicated to minimizing their air emissions. In addition, many businesses go above and beyond air quality requirements by implementing other measures, such as employee commute trip reduction, no-idle policies, green building and energy efficiency, and a host of other efforts that help protect Spokane County’s air, water and land resources.
We believe it is important to recognize businesses for their efforts to improve air quality and to share these stories with the community. To that end, we provide two recognition programs, described below.
Clean Air Award – an annual program
Each February, Spokane Clean Air recognizes one local company for its innovation, leadership, and commitment to improving air quality. The award is presented publicly to express appreciation for their efforts and to encourage other businesses to follow suit.
The 2025 Clean Air Award recipient is Alsco Uniforms Read more…
Past recipients, in alphabetical order:
AFCO Distribution & Milling
Beacon Cleaners & Laundry
Central Pre-Mix
Costco Gasoline Facility, north
CXT, Inc
Eastern Washington University
Ed’s Premier Auto Body
ExxonMobil Spokane Terminal
Fairchild Air Force Base
Fiber-Tech Industries
Gonzaga University
Hotstart Thermal Management
Huntwood Industries
Inland Empire Paper Co
International Aerospace Coatings
Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital
Rob’s Demolition
Ross Printing
Spokane International Airport
TransCanada
Doing Our Share for Clean Air – A biennial recognition program
Spokane Clean Air strives to recognize local businesses for the work they do to reduce air emissions and improve air quality in our community.
In January of every-other year, we send forms to businesses in our registration program. They can choose to complete the form to receive either Silver or Gold recognition.
Silver award recognition are those businesses meeting air quality requirements for their business.
Gold award recognizes businesses that have gone “above and beyond” their requirements by implementing additional actions to improve air quality.
To receive recognition, businesses must meet the minimum criteria listed below:
Silver award:
- The facility has not been issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) by Spokane Clean Air in the last two calendar years and during the most recent facility inspection.
- The Annual Registration Form is complete and submitted to Spokane Clean Air by the required due date for the two most recent data collection cycles.
- The Annual Registration fees were submitted to Spokane Clean Air by the required due date during the two most recent billing cycles.
Gold award:
Must meet the Silver award requirements, plus:
- The facility has not been issued a Corrective Action (CA) by Spokane Clean Air in the last two calendar years and during the most recent inspection of my facility
- The facility has implemented at least two measures that go “above and beyond” air quality requirements. Examples include:
- Energy Efficiency – lighting, heating/cooling, water heating, equipment, combustion efficiency
- Process changes, source reduction, material substitution
- Sector Specific – back-up generators, boilers, dry cleaners, gas stations, printers, surface coaters
- Transportation – commute trip reduction, no idle policies, cleaner fleet vehicles
- Participated in the Spokane Clean Air’s P2 consultation in the past
- Is a local EnviroCertified business
Congratulations to these 2025-2026 businesses that earned recognition!
Alsco Uniforms named the 2025 Clean Air Award winner
“We are thrilled to announce that our 21st annual Clean Air Award goes to Alsco Uniforms, in recognition of their exemplary work to reduce emissions at their Spokane facility and in our communities,” stated April Westby, executive director at Spokane Clean Air.
Alsco Uniforms opened in Spokane in 1955, but the company’s roots date back to 1889 as a small Nebraska towel delivery route. Today the company operates in over 200 locations worldwide, providing many products and services, including linens, uniforms, floor mats, washroom supplies, and more.
“Spokane Clean Air is recognizing Alsco Uniforms for several measures they’ve taken to reduce energy consumption, which directly benefit the air we share,” added Westby.
“Across our company, we are committed to pollution prevention and sustainable practices,” said Joey Kink, general manager of Spokane’s Alsco Uniforms facility. “We provide reusable products, which means less disposable waste. We choose our vendors carefully, for example, our table linens are made with American-produced fabric, with a 50-80% longer life cycle than imported linen. Our mat vendor recycles over 1.25 million pounds of mat rubber annually. We collaborate with laundry chemical suppliers to create eco-friendly formulas that are better for our environment. These are just a few examples of steps we take to be environmental stewards within the communities we serve.” Read more