POLLUTION PREVENTION

Greenleaf Nursery Company, established in 1958, located in Park Hill, Oklahoma is a 520 acre containerized nursery, the third largest containerized nursery in the U.S. In 1989 Greenleaf began a comprehensive Pollution Prevention program and enlisted the help of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture (DOA) to achieve company goals.

Improvements:

The focal points of Greenleaf’s Pollution Prevention Program are:

Recycling of most plastic used to cover and protect plants during cold weather
Establishing voluntary compliance agreements with DOA concerning nutrient and pesticide levels in irrigation tailwater
Conversion from liquid fertilizers to topical application of slow release fertilizer pills directly to the growing containers
Implementing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. Plants are inspected for pests prior to any pesticide use and switching to pesticides that will not move off-site with irrigation tailwater.
Construct water retention and recycling basins to prevent off-site movement of irrigation tailwater.

Savings/Benefits:

In 1977 this facility contributed 22,743 Kg/yr of Nitrogen and 444 Kg/yr of phosphate to the Illinois River Watershed Basin (1.1% total nutrient loading in the basin).
Nitrate-Nitrogen levels have now been reduced by 75% since 1989.
In 1992 construction of a retention and recycling system began. The $1.5 million system has a storage capacity of 80 million gallons. This system is now being used as a model for other containerized nurseries in Region 6, as well as nationally.
Compliance with state and federal standards for irrigation tailwater.
Improved corporate image.

Waste Stream: waste water, pesticide runoff, plastic, fertilizer

Contact: Mark Andrews

Greenleaf Nursery Co.
HC 72 Box 163l
Park Hill, OK 74451-9500