National Clothesline
DC Station first Platinum cleaner in OK
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When Dry Cleaning Station of Owasso, OK, first opened its doors in January of 2006 under the guidance of Tom and Barbara Keenze, the two partners decided on a simple strategy of being as “green” as possible.
In fact, when the couple first met with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental
Quality (DEQ), the agency had not even heard of GreenEarth, the technology of
choice that the Keenzes had opted for.
For that matter, the owners of Dry Cleaning Station were not familiar with the
Oklahoma Star Pollution Prevention Program.
Naturally, a lot has changed in just over three-and-a-half years, so much so
that Dry Cleaning Station was honored with Platinum level status by the DEQ in
late September.
The plant received the distinction during the annual Oklahoma Star Awards
ceremony in Oklahoma City held in conjunction with National Pollution
Prevention Week.
The Oklahoma Star Program is voluntary; it recognizes facilities that not only
achieve and maintain regulatory compliance, but go beyond the scope of the
regulations in order to protect the environment and promote employee safety.
The program ranks participants among peers and awards Silver, Gold or Platinum
stars.
The Platinum Star is the highest honor awarded to companies who have taken
comprehensive action to reduce waste in all aspects of their business by
changing practices, policies, processes or products, recycling solid waste and
are a leader in preventing waste by becoming a mentor and spokesperson for the
program.
Dry Cleaning Station became the first drycleaning and laundry operation in
Oklahoma to receive an Oklahoma Star award in September of 2006.
“We started the business with a strategic plan to be as ‘green’ as possible,” said Tom Keenze. “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.”
Clearly, the efforts have worked. The Owasso business made the jump from the
Gold level to Platinum level in September of this year.
The company was able to reach the Gold level initially in 2006 largely as the
result of it being the first licensee of GreenEarth drycleaning in the state of
Oklahoma.
Dry Cleaning Station has been recognized for a few other “firsts” in Oklahoma, as well, including: using poly bags that are biodegradable or
recyclable; using shirt hangers made of recycled plastic; and offering
customers reusable garment bags.
The company also recycles poly bags and wire hangers for its customers.
Such practices helped the plant become a “Green Cleaner” in February of 2009 in the eyes of the National Green Cleaner’s Council.
