Landfills Go Green to the Extreme

Major U.S. Auto Manufacturer Creates a Zero Waste Movement As the push to be environmentally conscious increases and Earth Day approaches, many of us try to practice what we preach – reduce-reuse-recycle. But according to the Environmental Protection Agency, 55 percent of everyday garbage and trash still ends up in giant landfills across the U.S. Now, a new extreme form of “going green” called “landfill free” is changing the landscape. Companies like Anheuser-Busch, Subaru and General Motors have committed themselves to a landfill free manufacturing process, meaning all the materials generated as a result of regular production operations are either recycled or reused in some way. At these plants, everything –from aluminum chips, to plastic trays, to used gloves – is recycled and reused, eliminating nearly 8,000 tons of waste a year. GM’s Flint Engine South Plant is one of the first manufacturing facilities in the U.S. to achieve zero waste. The environmental benefits of the plant's waste recycling efforts include the prevention of over 44,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions being emitted into the atmosphere, and the preservation of over 3,000 mature trees annually. Increasing and improving environmental awareness is not a one man job. To achieve zero-landfill goals, companies often work with recyclers like the Goodwill. These partners work to remove waste, turn it into usable parts and find homes for the products – all while creating needed jobs and a better environment. Produced for General Motors

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Google Video | April 18, 2008

Tags:. .form. .auto. .engine. .trees. .practice