Prisons official wants U. of Iowa laundry contract

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa prisons official says he hopes inmates will soon be supplying the chemicals used to clean laundry at the University of Iowa.

Iowa Prison Industries Director Dan Clark said Monday he met recently with a university official to express interest in getting the school’s laundry detergent business. He said IPI anticipates bidding for the contract when it is expected to come open next year. Right now, the university uses a different supplier.

Clark said inmates mix and package laundry chemicals at a building in Anamosa. State agencies and nonprofit groups are among their customers.

The university’s Laundry Services is located on the Oakdale campus, where workers do laundry for the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, the dental school, the food service department and other campus units.