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Individual facilities are responsible for the purchase and
storage of chemicals used in their operations. As part of
our chemical management system, chemical types and
quantities used at every site are logged in a local chemical
inventory, which is updated each month. This year, we
created a company-wide chemical inventory (based on
purchases) to better understand our global chemical footprint.
We plan to include total fertilizer use in future inventories.
2015 Chemical Use
Chemical Category Amount Used (Liters)
Algaecides 10
Fungicides 20,778
Growth Regulators 761
Herbicides 90,200
Insecticides 24,597
This inventory enables us to better manage our chemical footprint. In 2016, we plan
to use our landscape Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) to evaluate the impacts
of each chemical on the environment. Armed with this knowledge, we will work to
reduce or eliminate the most impactful chemicals from our inventory and to lower
our overall chemical load.
Additionally, in 2015, we collected data on the amount of water needed to mix each of the chemicals in our inventory.
Moving forward, we would like to replace or remove water-intensive chemicals from our inventory where possible.
Read more about our water management in the Water section of this report.
Our clients are also concerned with chemical stewardship and the proper use of chemicals. We regularly engage with
them on topics, such as safe and responsible use of chemicals, preventive plant health care and chemical application
techniques and alternatives to traditional pesticides and other chemicals.
Protecting Pollinators
Pollinators, such as honeybees and butterflies, contribute over $24 billion to the U.S.
economy, facilitating the growth of fruits, nuts and vegetables. Habitat destruction
and food source depletion have led to the loss of these important insects. For
instance, over the last 70 years, honeybee colony counts have fallen by 90 percent.
Through our scientific research, experience in plant health care and innovative
technologies, we can design pollinator habitats that create a suitable environment for
pollinators at every stage of their life cycle. Native wildflower species are planted
using a customized seed mix tailored for the site conditions.
Coordinating these habitats with regular monitoring and proper plant health care may
go a long way toward saving our pollinators.
