Honda’s manufacturing emissions increase in 2013, report shows
by Canadian Manufacturing Daily Staff
Automaker said jump in vehicle production led to emissions increase, but overall CO2 intensity down
TORONTO—Honda Motor Co. said emissions from its North American vehicle production operations has increased over last year but the overall intensity has dropped compared to 2012.
In its 2013 North American Environmental Report, the automaker said greenhouse gas emissions—largely carbon dioxide—from its plants in Canada and the United States increased 14.8 per cent year-over-year, but the CO2 intensity of those emissions declined 16.2 per cent in the same time frame.
Honda said the increase in emissions was largely due to a huge jump in production volume on North American shores, where it increased the number of vehicles produced here by 37 per cent over 2012.
Total plant emissions reached 1.01 million metric tons, according to Honda, but intensity fell to 582 kilograms of CO2 per vehicle for the year.
The automaker also said total water use at its plants on the continent rose 19.1 per cent, but the amount of water used per vehicle fell 12.9 per cent versus 2012 levels.
Honda still aims to send less than one per cent of waste from its manufacturing operations to landfill, and while it didn’t provide specific percentage amounts, said landfill waste per unit built has been reduced almost 95 per cent to 2.4kg/vehicle since 2001.
No plant-specific data was provided.
Honda operates 11 plants in the U.S., which produce the company’s full suite of products, including power equipment, automobiles and auto parts, motor cycles and recreation vehicles, and jet engines.
In Canada, the company operates a pair of twin auto manufacturing plants north of Toronto.
