OWASSO, Okla. — The Dry Cleaning Station of Owasso, Okla., has earned the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Platinum Star award, which recognizes facilities that not only achieve and maintain regulatory compliance, but also protect the environment and promote employee safety.
The Dry Cleaning Station was the first drycleaning and laundry operation in Oklahoma to win an Oklahoma Star award in 2006, the company says, and now DEQ has raised its status from Gold level to Platinum level in recognition of the additional environmental efforts it has made.
“We started the business with a strategic plan to be as ‘green’ as possible,” says Tom Keenze, owner of Dry Cleaning Station. “Now that our strategy is known to vendors, we find that they often come to us first with new products that they feel may assist us to advance that strategy.”
The Oklahoma Star Program is voluntary, ranking participants among their peers and awarding Silver, Gold or Platinum stars. The Platinum Star is awarded to companies who have taken comprehensive action to reduce waste by changing practices, processes or products, as well as recycling solid waste. Platinum Star companies also show leadership in preventing waste by becoming mentors and spokespeople for the program.
Since receiving Gold-level recognition in 2006, Dry Cleaning Station became the first Oklahoma cleaner to use poly bags that are biodegradable and recyclable, shirt hangers made of recycled plastic, and reusable garment bags. The company also recycles poly bags and wire hangers for customers.
In February, the National Green Cleaner’s Council (GCC) certified Dry Cleaning Station as a Green Cleaner. In July, the company became the first Oklahoma drycleaning and laundry operation to implement Faultless by Nature laundry products, which meet the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Design for the Environment (DfE) criteria, the company says.
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