Automaker Honda reports reduction of 2.2 million pounds of corrugated packaging material, 21,000 wood pallets used for parts transportation in 2011

Kendall Sinclair

TORRANCE, California , January 23, 2012 (press release) – Honda today released its seventh annual report on the environmental impact of the company’s operations in the North American region, including the United States, Canada and Mexico. The 2011 North American Environmental Report, published in electronic format only, can be viewed and downloaded here. Highlights of the 2011 North American Environmental Report include:

Products – the CO2-adjusted fleet-average fuel economy of Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. in model year 2010 rose 1 mpg, or 4.1%, to 25.6 mpg, versus the previous model year. This compares with a U.S. auto industry average increase of 0.1 mpg, or 0.4%, during the same period. Further, the fleet average fuel economy of Honda motorcycles sold in North America in FY2011 was improved 12.0% from the FY2000 baseline.
Purchasing – an estimated 5.6 million miles of truck travel and 6,743 metric tons of CO2 emission associated with the transportation for mass production parts from North American suppliers to Honda plants in North America were avoided through strategic planning and numerous other “green logistics” initiatives.
Manufacturing – waste to landfills was reduced 91.9% from the FY2001 baseline to less than 0.5% of all operating waste from manufacturing, allowing Honda to achieve its goal of virtually zero waste to landfills for all 14 of its plants in the region, including 10 plants operating with absolutely zero waste to landfill.
The CO2 emission intensity of automobile production in the region rose 2.5% from the FY2001 baseline but fell 3.7% from the previous fiscal year as a result of significant efforts to improve the energy efficiency of production.
The energy intensity of automobile production—from electricity and natural gas consumption, representing approximately 96% of total energy use—fell 7.2% from the FY2001 baseline and 5.9% from the previous fiscal year.
Sales and Service – 100% of the trucks delivering Honda and Acura automobiles in the U.S. were certified under the U.S. EPA’s SmartWay Transport initiative. Further, 2.2 million pounds of corrugated packaging material and 21,000 wood pallets used in the transport of Honda service parts were eliminated.
Administration – three new facilities received LEED Green-Building certification, giving Honda an industry-leading 11 LEED-certified facilities in North America. Further, conservation efforts at the company’s North American headquarters in Torrance, Calif., resulted in a 50% reduction in the volume of materials needing to be recycled over the past five years.
Global CO2 Targets – Honda achieved all but one of its voluntary goals, set in 2006, for a 10% reduction of CO2 emissions from both its products and production operations compared to 2000 levels, including a 12.4% reduction in emissions from Honda and Acura global vehicle fleet. Although the CO2 emissions intensity of automobile production was reduced 6.3% from 2000 levels, the goal of a 10% reduction was not achieved due to the severe reduction in North American production volumes as a result of the global economic recession. In 2011, Honda announced a new target, to be achieved by the end of 2020, to reduce CO2 emissions from the use of its automobile, motorcycle and power equipment product lines by 30 percent, as compared to year 2000 levels.

The 2011 North American Environmental Report covers the company’s operations during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011 (FY2011) and utilizes a lifecycle assessment (LCA) model to report on the environmental impact of Honda’s R&D, manufacturing and sales activities in the North America region. The report looks at the environmental performance of the company’s automobile, powersports, and power equipment products, its 14 major manufacturing plants operating in North America, and the corporate activities of 17 Honda group companies in the region. To help reduce the environmental impact of its environmental reporting activities, the company publishes the report in electronic format only. Highlights of the report can also be viewed at corporate.honda.com/environment/2011-report/. The full report is also available for download at the site and at Honda’s U.S. media web site at www.hondanews.com.

Additional information on Honda’s environmental performance outside of North America can be found in Honda Motor Company’s Environmental Report, with a focus on the company’s activities in Japan – available at world.honda.com (or by clicking here).

Executive Quote

“We are accelerating our efforts to rapidly advance the environmental performance of our products and operations throughout the region,” said Tetsuo Iwamura, chief operating officer of Honda’s North American Regional Operation. “The challenges of global climate change and energy scarcity are fundamental issues that require us to think innovatively about every aspect of our operations, and to find new ways of increasing our efficiency for the benefit of our customers and society.”

Honda Environmental Leadership

Honda is a leader in the development of leading-edge technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions. Honda has led the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) rankings of overall vehicle environmental performance since 2000, and a Honda vehicle has topped the list of America's greenest vehicles, from the America Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), for eleven consecutive years.

In 2006, Honda became the first automaker to announce voluntary CO2 emissions reduction targets for its global fleet of automobile, powersports and power equipment products and its global network of manufacturing plants. Today, the company is striving for even greater reductions in CO2 emissions that contribute to global climate change, while also working to minimize waste to landfill, water use and the total environmental footprint of its operations worldwide.