GM transmission plant in Ohio awarded for pollution reduction
by Cleantech Canada Staff
Energy intensity at Toledo plant reduced by 30 per cent, diverting 38,425 tonnes of carbon emissions from atmosphere
TOLEDO, Ohio—A General Motors Co. (GM) transmission plant in Ohio has been recognized for its pollution reduction after cutting its energy intensity by 30 per cent.
GM’s transmission plant in Toledo, Ohio, received a pollution prevention award from the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable for efforts undertaken to reduce the environmental impact of the facility.
“This award is a celebration of various plant sustainability initiatives, from landfill-free to our ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry distinction,” Joyce Arakelian, a senior environmental engineer at the facility, said in a statement.
“Our Drive-to-Zero program helps conserve our resources and enables employees to see the simple and real benefits of energy reduction.”
In one year, energy intensity at the Toledo plant was reduced by 30 per cent, diverting 38,425 tonnes of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere.
The plant also reduced wastewater pretreatment discharges by 60 per cent since 2009, according to the automaker.
Last year, a 1.8-megawatt rooftop solar array, the largest in Ohio, was installed at the plant.
Combined, with landfill gas, 19 per cent of the facility’s energy comes from renewable sources.
The Toledo plant is also one of GM’s 111 landfill-free facilities, with all byproducts from daily manufacturing operations either recycled, reused or converted to energy.
The facility manufactures six- and eight-speed automatic transmissions for the full range of GM vehicles, including light-duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, crossovers and cars.
