http://www.csrwire.com/article.cgi/4510.html

The one that impresses me the most is:
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana (TMMI) has achieved its goal of zero landfill disposal. Since June 2005, TMMI has not allowed any waste from manufacturing processes to be disposed of in landfills.

Forgive me for questioning this statement, but I find that hard to believe. I'd like to know what they classify "waste from manufacturing processes" and how much "waste" they dispose of in landfills that isnt considered to be from manufacturing processes.

http://www.csrwire.com/article.cgi/4510.html

The one that impresses me the most is:So, they're dumping it in the ocean.:lol:

I was going to say they are sending it up to into space, but the ocean works too.

Forgive me for questioning this statement, but I find that hard to believe..That is exactly why it is impressive. Obviously, there is waste coming out of the manufacturing processes, but all of it is recycled. I'd like to know what they classify "waste from manufacturing processes" and how much "waste" they dispose of in landfills that isnt considered to be from manufacturing processes.I don't know how much clearer it could be. Used coffee powder is not part of their manufacturing process waste. If you want to know more about Toyota's environmental commitment, browse http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/environment/. You can download their Envinronmental Report.

I was going to say they are sending it up to into space, but the ocean works too.And, cheaper!

I wonder if they are sending some of their wastes (such as the coffee grinds) to an incinerator for energy recovery. That way they can say the waste is not going to a landfill. My question then is, what happens to the ash at the incinerator - it has to go somewhere....

That is exactly why it is impressive. Obviously, there is waste coming out of the manufacturing processes, but all of it is recycled. I don't know how much clearer it could be. Used coffee powder is not part of their manufacturing process waste. If you want to know more about Toyota's environmental commitment, browse http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/environment/. You can download their Envinronmental Report.
Much as I admire Toyota. I have been dealiong withone of the divisions of Milliken here in the UK for a number of years and they have achieved a corporate policy of zero landfill. I checked on the web site and there is some update information here http://www.milliken.com/hr/wwwmlkn.nsf/WebAllDocs/2346BEB77DA104BD85256AC0006793C7?OpenDocument

How companies do it is through a "Waste to Energy" programme. they segregate anything they can reuse / recycle and the rest goes off to a power plant for fuel.

It is true there are combustion products and ash - although a lot of ash is reused as raw materials for other products such as cement industry, plastic fillers. One of the down sides of the waste to energy deal is the transportation means it costs more to send for burning than it costs to landfill locally - not to mention the extra traffic / pollution that can result - but overall it seems a positive initiative.

This one's easy. Any 'waste' developed in their manufacturing process must have been due to a supplier defect, thus the defective materials were shipped back to the supplier for them to deal with. It probably ended up in the landfill, but not directly from the Toyota plants.

I'm not in the automotive industry anymore, but as you can see, still a bit jaded.

DP

Why are you trying to belittle Toyota's accomplishment? It is an environmental paradigm shift. Your public profile identifies you as E&S professional. I think Toyota's commitment to the environment should be praised. Not joked about.
Just Google Toyota+zero+landfill
http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/environmental_rep/00/pdf/p80_85.pdf