EcoBiz Certification Awarded to Washington County Facilities and Parks Services

For Immediate Release: Monday, October 14, 2013

The Pollution Prevention Outreach (P2O) Team of the Portland Metropolitan Area has awarded Washington County Facilities and Parks Services with the EcoBiz Certification for Landscape Services. To become certified, the Grounds Maintenance and Parks staff worked to ensure their practices reach the highest standards in environmental protection—keeping pollutants out of the air, water and soil.

Included in this certification are the following practices:

• Using alternative methods for controlling plant disease pests whenever possible.
• Using least toxic and most resource efficient techniques to clean and seal hardscapes and keep landscapes clear of weeds, leaves and other debris.
• Keeping irrigation systems in top form to conserve water and energy.
• Using integrated pest management practices to maintain healthy landscapes while limiting the use of chemicals.
• Preventing pollution of storm water runoff by containing and protecting materials.
• Evaluating hazardous material use and application methods and making adjustments to achieve the lowest waste and hazard levels possible.

"Washington County is committed to minimizing the environmental impact of all our operations and saving taxpayer dollars in the process. We are grateful to P2O for recognizing this part of an organization-wide effort at becoming more sustainable," said Assistant County Administrator Don Bohn.

The EcoBiz Certification program is a collaborative effort of the Cities of Portland and Gresham, Metro, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Washington County, Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center and Clackamas County with funding from Clean Water Services for businesses and organizations in Washington County.

The Facilities and Parks Services Division of Washington County's Department of Support Services maintains nearly 30 county owned buildings, along with the associated grounds-keeping. They also maintain county parks including Scoggins Valley Park/Henry Hagg Lake, Metzger Park, and Eagle Landing Park, in an efficient and cost-effective manner to protect and maintain the public's investment in these spaces.

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