Sustainable business in het Oostland

Growing in an environmentally conscious and sustainable way

De Zuidplas is a gerbera nursery that is known for growing a wide range of large-flowered gerberas in no fewer than 70 different colours. However, there is more that De Zuidplas is renowned for; the nursery has spent over 40 years developing its growing methods and entrepreneurship and making them ever more environmentally conscious and sustainable. For example, the nursery obtains its CO2 obtained from waste sourced from the Botlek industrial region, uses non-chemical herbicides, and reuses its own water instead of disposing of waste water.

Sustainable, market-oriented and societally responsible entrepreneurship

Nurseries in the Netherlands are required to comply with a growing number of governmental regulations. The MPS Group helps horticulturalists realise their ambitions of working in ways that respect people and nature alike. The group awards certificates that improve the visibility, measurability and demonstrability of quality and sustainability within the industry.

Growing collective increases the sustainability levels of the Oostland area

De Zuidplas values sustainability very highly. By engaging in collaborations with initiatives and companies, as well as with growers in the area, we are able to create a tight-knit collective of sustainable entrepreneurship. Sustainable growing is about more than just environmentally friendly growing; it also has to do with societally and employee-oriented entrepreneurship.

CO2 is sourced directly from the Botlek industrial region

Nurseries are still associated with extreme pollution all too often, even though this notion has long since been outdated. New technologies and developments are rapidly increasing the sustainability of the industry. De Zuidplas utilises CO2 from the Botlek industrial region to generate its heat and energy.

Residual waste is converted to energy to power greenhouses

De Zuidplas will soon be sourcing not just pure CO2 from the Botlek industrial region, but heat as well. This heat will be stored in a large buffer tank on site. Currently, said waste water still flows into the sea, but this will soon be changing.

Sustainable entrepreneurship is the future

Quality, service, and sustainability are indispensable elements of the overall production process within the chain. These core tenets shape the workplace, company policy, greenhouses and transport. Circular and sustainable entrepreneurship are the future, including in our industry.

Dealing responsibly with our nursery’s (waste) water

The nursery’s waste water flow is extremely minimal and its waste water processes are constantly being optimised and made increasingly sustainable. Waste water used to be disposed of via the sewers, but these days, it is converted into 100% reusable feed water for the flowers. The water is stored and cleaned via UV radiation and heating in silos outside of the greenhouses.