(March 31, 2013) DETROIT — General Motors has been recognized for its environmental leadership by the Society of Plastic Engineers with an award acknowledging the company’s successful zero-waste program.

The Daniel Eberhardt Award for Environmental Stewardship is given to companies that make extensive use of recycled plastics in producing automotive interior components, and achieve large reductions in waste going to landfills. The award was presented at the 2013 Global Plastics Environmental Conference.

“Today’s companies have a responsibility to reduce their environmental footprint, and that includes reducing waste sent to landfills,” said John Bradburn, GM’s manager of waste reduction efforts. “As an industry, we have to come up with creative uses for waste that lessen our impact on the environment.”

Building upon the company’s commitment to send as little waste to landfills as possible, GM was recognized for recycling more waste from its worldwide facilities than any other automaker, and building a business case for zero waste.

The company has a number of requirements in place that define success for its landfill-free programs. These rules have led to unique projects within the GM zero-waste portfolio, including converting booms from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill into parts for the Chevrolet Volt, and turning scrap Volt battery covers into nesting boxes.

“There are many ways companies can cut down on their waste,” adds Bradburn. “We make sure that our projects create economic, environmental and social value, all while integrating seamlessly with our other manufacturing functions.”

Other GM recycling projects include:

    • Recycling cardboard packaging into Buick Verano and Lacrosse headliners to provide acoustic padding.
    • Recycling test tires into the manufacturing of air baffles for a variety of GM vehicles.
    • Mixing plastic caps that protect vehicle parts during shipment with other post-consumer plastics to make air deflectors for Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks.

GM announced last year that it had passed the century mark in landfill-free facilities, recycling or reusing 2.6 metric tons of waste at 105 facilities worldwide.