May 15, 2006—General Motors’ Tonawanda Engine Plant, the world’s largest engine manufacturing facility, has achieved landfill-free status in its manufacturing operations by reducing waste generation, recycling, and converting waste to energy, according to the company.
More than 95% of the waste materials from the plant’s manufacturing operations (23,233 tons annually) are recycled and nearly 5% (or 1,060 tons annually) are converted to energy at waste-to-energy facilities.
The plant is the second GM plant in the US, and one of a very few automotive plants in the world to reach this achievement. The GM Flint Engine South Plant in Flint, Mich., was the first GM plant to achieve zero landfill status in its manufacturing operations in March, 2005.
Work towards achieving this goal began in 2001 as part of the plant’s ISO 14001 Environmental Management initiatives. For more information, visit the GM Web site.
