GM Commits to Zero Waste At Half of Its Factories

General Motors (NYSE: GM) announced last week a commitment to convert all waste from half of its global manufacturing plants by the end of 2010.

GM facilities achieve what the company calls "landfill-free" status when all production waste or garbage is recycled or reused. If the commitment is achieved, more than 80 of GM’s 160 plants world wide will have achieved this status.

At GM’s landfill-free plants, over 96% of waste materials are recycled or reused and more than 3% is converted to energy at waste-to-energy facilities. Eliminating waste to this degree is a GM manufacturing priority.

Forty-three facilities around the world already covert all of their waste, GM said.

"Through innovation and commitment, GM is accelerating our efforts to be a leader in finding solutions to the environmental issues facing our world," said Gary Cowger, GM group vice president of global manufacturing and labor. "As we develop new solutions in vehicle propulsion, GM is also making significant progress in reducing the impact our worldwide facilities have on the environment."

GM said its recycled metal scrap sales are approaching $1 billion in annual revenue. Additionally, in North America alone, GM will generate about $16 million in revenue from the sale of recycled cardboard, wood, oil, plastic and other recycled materials.

Waste aluminum generated at GM facilities is sent to GM foundries to be reused to produce engine and transmission components. Steel, alloy metals, and paper are sent to recyclers to be made into a variety of products. Used oil is reconditioned for reuse in GM facilities. Wood pallets are reused, rebuilt or ground into landscape chips or sent to waste-to-energy facilities. Empty drums, totes and containers are refurbished and reused again and again. Cardboard is collected, compacted and sold for making new cardboard materials.

Waste elimination and recycling at GM’s landfill-free plants and other facilities will prevent 3.65 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from entering the atmosphere this year, GM said.