Toyota Reaches Near-Zero Landfill Waste in North America

Toyota Motor North America Inc. has reached near-zero landfill waste status at its North American manufacturing plants, the company said in its 2011 North American Environmental Report.

The automaker said it has achieved the near-zero waste to landfill goal in each of the past three years. Toyota's vehicle distribution division recycled 94 percent of waste it generated.

Toyota also said in a news release that it decreased by 35 percent the amount of non-saleable waste per vehicle produced. It expanded local partnerships to include initiatives such as donating used plastics that are recycled to fund a local program for the disabled.

The New York-based division of the Japanese company introduced a battery recovery program to educate dealers on the proper handling of large format nickel-metal hydride batteries from its hybrid vehicles. Toyota collects spent batteries from the dealers and transports them for proper recycling and disposal.

"We are proud of the success we have had throughout Toyota in improving the fuel economy of our vehicles and minimizing the environmental impact of our operations,” said Dian Ogilvie, senior vice president & secretary for Toyota Motor North America.

Toyota said it has met or exceeded more than 80 percent of its five-year Environmental Action Plan goals.