GM Named Green Leader For Landfill-Free Progress

General Motors was named a Michigan Green Leader by the Detroit Free Press for growing its landfill-free program in 2011. The annual award recognizes businesses, individuals  and organizations working to make the state a greener place to live and work.

Last year, GM added eight manufacturing and nine non-manufacturing facilities to its landfill-free list, bringing the count to 81 and 16, respectively, that reuse, recycle or convert to energy waste created in daily operations. It has added two more to its roster since then.

Facilities employed waste-reduction tactics such as reworking pallets to form wood beams for the homebuilding industry and reusing absorbent pads for cleaning oil and water. At its Customer Care and Aftersales headquarters in Grand Blanc, Mich., the grounds—a wildlife habitat certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council—feature scrap Chevrolet Volt battery covers GM engineersconverted into duck nesting boxes.

“This program helps us reduce our footprint while creating environmental awareness among employees and communities,” said John Bradburn, GM’s manager of waste-reduction efforts. “It’s also good for our bottom line as we further optimize waste streams for efficiency and generate revenue from our byproducts.”

GM is dedicated to sharing its best practices and often provides companies with plant tours to teach them how to reduce waste and increase recycling. Facilities also engage the community with events like litter clean-ups and household recycling programs.

GM is building on its 2010 landfill-free achievement; it recently committed to achieving 100 landfill-free manufacturing and 25 non-manufacturing sites by 2020.

During the Green Leaders competition, panels of independent judges selected GM and 16 other winners from more than 100 entries from across the state. The winners will accept their awards at a ceremony on April 27 in Detroit.

For more information on GM’s environmental commitment, visit the Beyond Now blog and the GM environment website. 

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets.  GM’s brands include Chevrolet and Cadillac, as well as Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.