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Opel commited to waste avoidance

Global Environmental Strategy: Landfill thanks to waste avoidance and recycling

2010-12-16

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Rüsselsheim.  In the production of vehicles and components, Opel/Vauxhall is committed to waste avoidance and to the recycling and recovery of unavoidable production waste in its European manufacturing network of eleven plants. In 83 percent of its European production capacity, including all its German plants, Opel/Vauxhall no longer leaves any production waste that goes to landfill sites. This initiative is part of General Motors’ worldwide strategy that includes 76 plants employing 70,000 people.

In the plants manufacturing Opel and Vauxhall vehicles, 97 percent of reusable production waste, for example scrap metal, is recycled. The rest of the production waste is used as replacement fuel for fossil-based energy or for thermal treatment.

Jürgen Burghardt, as Facilities Director responsible for environmental protection in the plants: “Waste reduction takes place throughout the production process in all our plants. The avoidance of disposable packaging, the reduction and recycling of metal residues from stamping and drill shavings are just some examples of the wide range of opportunities for operational environmental protection.”

Every month the environmental experts in the various facilities evaluate the results of waste avoidance and reduction measures, and adjust the environmental protection methods to meet a performance benchmark. The experience gained in waste avoidance and reduction is made available to all Opel/Vauxhall and GM facilities worldwide.