Ross Environmental Services, Inc. 
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.”