Through the month of May, 2021 the Ross companies collected items to benefit homeless veterans in Lorain County. Specifically, the items and funds donated went to The Valor Home of Lorain, Ohio, which provides transitional housing for homeless veterans.

Associates collected grocery and gas gift cards, as well as blankets, cleaning supplies, new clothing and winter gear, cooking equipment and much, much more.  Hundreds of much needed items were collected for this drive and the Ross companies plan on participating again next year.

A special nod to our EHS (Environmental Health and Safety) group is required, as they started the drive off with enthusiasm, a large donation and inspired some friendly competition between departments. They presented a challenge for who could gather up the most items.

Thank you to all of the associates who participated in the drive!

More information on The Lorain Valor Home can be found at https://fcsserves.org/program/valor-home-lorain/

Above: Adopt-a-highway volunteers pose for a photo and pick up trash along Giles Rd.

Giles Road in Grafton, Ohio has been the home to the Ross Group of Companies—Ross Incineration, Ross Environmental and Ross Transportation, for more than 70 years. It is incredibly important to all of the companies to keep the road to the site clean and safe. To maintain Giles Road, the Ross companies participate in Lorain County’s Adopt-A-Highway clean up program.

This year, the Ross companies had a great turn out for the Adopt-a-Highway clean up, despite Mother Nature cancelling the activities twice as a result of inclement weather. The snow, sleet, and rain didn’t stop our dedicated Associates. We waited for the temperamental Northeast Ohio weather to cooperate and finally got to work in June of 2021.

Ross associates, most of whom live in Lorain County combed both sides of the two-mile long Giles Road which connects Durkee Road and State Route 82. Associates picked up a variety of trash and debris and a total of 10 trash bags were filled with the discarded litter.

While a handful of associates tended to the garden and seeding, others walked both sides of Giles Road to pick up litter. It was done in coordination with Lorain County’s Adopt-a-Highway program, which Ross associates have participated in for many years.

Above: Owner Jon Cromling gets his hands dirty, and the EHS team plants wildflowers. 

To celebrate Earth Day, associates from the Ross group of companies—Ross Incineration, Ross Environmental and Ross Transportation, set out to rejuvenate the Grafton plant  by creating a perennial flower garden on the grounds of its Giles Road facility.

To do this, a large space was tilled, and associates joined forces to dig holes, plant flowers and spread mulch. Planting this garden was the first step in a multi-year project that will brighten up the grounds and transform an underused portion of the area around the front offices at Ross Incineration.

The goal was to create a butterfly garden using perennial species of flowers including Butterfly Bushes, Black Eyed Susan’s, Lupine, Phlox and many other beautiful choices. Associates have been returning to the space to weed the garden, and enjoy the view.  It was a great opportunity to work together as a team and improve the RIS facilities.

Ross associates also took the warm weather opportunity to plant native wildflower seeds along the two bodies of water within the Ross Incineration Facility. This beautification project was also functional, aiding in preventing erosion and as a waterfowl deterrent.  All of the rain and sunshine in the last month has  allowed the garden and wildflower areas to flourish.

“Our mission is to safely and compliantly treat hazardous waste, protect the environment and serve the community,” said Pat Lawson, VP of Corporate Compliance/Risk Management. “Our effort in June was a natural extension of that mission.”

On October 3^rd, 2,330 gallons of household hazardous waste were collected from Eaton Township residents by the Ross Group of companies. This marks the 32^nd time that the companies have collected household hazardous waste as part of Eaton Township’s annual Dumpster Day collection event.

Participants in the event included Eaton Township, Reed’s Salvage Corp. and the Ross Group of companies which includes Ross Environmental Services, Inc., Ross Incineration Services, Inc. and Ross Transportation Services, Inc.

Household hazardous materials were collected by the Ross companies free of charge to township residents and associates of the Ross Group of companies. Materials available for collection included paint, motor oil, household chemicals, discarded cleaning products and more. These household items are reflective of the types of materials that the Ross companies safely manage for customers on a daily basis.

Over the years, the Ross companies have collected and disposed of 136,125 gallons of household hazardous waste in an environmentally sound manner.

The Ross Group of companies would like to congratulate Alexis Starner, this year’s recipient of the Ross/Cromling Scholarship.

Alexis Starner is the daughter of Ross Incineration Services, Inc. Operations Support Laborer III Ezra Starner.

The Ross/Cromling Scholarship is awarded annually by way of the Ross Foundation, Inc. The scholarship fund was created by associates of the Ross Group of companies, which includes Ross Environmental Services, Inc., Ross Incineration Services, Inc. and Ross Transportation Services, Inc., in honor of ownership to provide college funding to children, step-children and grandchildren of associates of the Ross Group of companies. Funds for these scholarships are generated through associate fundraising and donations.

This year, the scholarship recipient was selected by a Scholarship Selection Committee that includ

This year’s scholarship awardee, Alexis Starner, graduated from Wellington High School with a 4.587 GPA. During her high school education, she served as a member of the Student Council and National Honors Society while also being an active member of her school’s track, cheerleading and soccer teams. She is currently enrolled at Ohio Northern University where she plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Biology.

The Ross Group of companies wishes Alexis Starner best of luck in her future studies. For more information about the Ross Foundation, visit https://rossenvironmental.com/community-relations/ross-foundation/.

COVID-19 Customer Letter

The Ross Group of companies (which includes Ross Environmental Services, Inc., Ross Incineration Services, Inc. and Ross Transportation Services, Inc.) named Ross Incineration Services, Inc. Corporate Environmental, Health and Safety Director, Susan Kaiser, as this year’s Phillip T. Schaefer Vision Award recipient.

Kaiser was presented with the award on February 22^nd during the companies’ Annual Ross Group Service Awards celebration at LaCentre Conference & Banquet Facility in Westlake.

The distinguished award was established in honor of former Ross Incineration Services, Inc. Vice President of Operations Phillip T. Schaefer who was a loved and valued member of the Ross team at a critical time in the history of the company. Schaefer worked for the company for many years and was actively involved in his community until 2011 when he passed away following a courageous battle with a rare form of cancer.

Kaiser was nominated for the award by her peers for best exemplifying the Ross values of safety and compliance, dedication to the customer, respect, mutually-beneficial supplier relationships, active participation in the community and commitment to integrity and high ethical standards – the very values Schaefer demonstrated each and every day.

According to her peers, Kaiser is extremely dedicated to ensuring the safety of the companies’ associates and the safe operation of the Ross facilities. Through her diligence, we have one of the most respected safety and compliance training programs in the industry. She is very passionate about the success of the Ross companies and shows interest and compassion for all of her co-workers. She knows all of the associates by name, usually remembering things about them including their kid’s and pet’s names.

Congratulations Susan Kaiser, on becoming the Ninth Annual Phillip T. Schaefer Vision Award recipient.

Our Field Services Department now has a base of operations at four convenient locations to better serve all your waste management and remediation needs:

Call 1-800-878-ROSS (7677) or email us at FieldServices@rossenvironmental.com today and leave the rest to us!

The Ross Group of companies collected a total 2,320 gallons of household hazardous waste at this year’s Eaton Township Dumpster Days event!

This marks the 31^st time that the companies have participated in this event as a community service for Eaton Township residents.

Materials available for collection included paint, motor oil, household chemicals, discarded cleaning products and more. These household items are reflective of the types of materials that the Ross companies safely manage for customers on a daily basis.

Since first participating in the event, the Ross Group of companies have collected and disposed of a total of 133,795 gallons of household hazardous waste in an environmentally sound manner.