Toyota starts carbon-neutral production at UK engine plant

Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK has announced the start of carbon-neutral production at its UK engine plant.

The landmark at its Deeside plant, in North Wales, has been achieved through renewable energy sources and the elimination of waste and fossil fuels.

According to the firm, which has its car manufacturing plant at Burnaston, near Derby, an anaerobic digester recycles local waste, providing a biomethane gas supply, saving almost 3,000 tonnes of carbon annually.

Meanwhile, recycled aluminium from end-of-life alloy wheels is being transformed into new engine blocks produced at Deeside.

The move is part of Toyota’s plan to make all of its European manufacturing sites carbon-neutral by 2030 – including Burnaston.

Dariusz Mikolajczak, Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK’s managing director, said: “For more than three decades, our members have been finding ways to reduce energy use, reduce carbon emissions, reduce waste, improve efficiency and reduce our impact on the environment.

“Often this has been through major projects and new technology, but just as often it has been through thousands of small improvements made by people who simply asked, ‘can we do this better?’.

“That mindset has brought us to this milestone as we begin carbon-neutral production and become the first Toyota plant outside Japan to transition to carbon-neutral manufacturing operations.”

The Deeside plant manufactures engines which are fitted into Corolla cars made at Burnaston, which is also home to the Toyota Circular Factory.

TCF recycles parts from end-of-life vehicles, including the recovery of aluminium from alloy wheels, which is then sent to Deeside to make new engine blocks.