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Honda Plants Meet International Environmental Standard

29 January 1999

Honda Plants Meet International Environmental Standard

    MARYSVILLE, Ohio, Jan. 29 -- All four plants operated by
Honda of America Mfg. (HAM) in Ohio have achieved ISO 14001 registration, a
global environmental management system.
    This makes HAM an auto industry leader at implementing the environmental
management system under guidelines of the International Organization for
Standardization in Geneva, said HAM Senior Vice President John Adams, general
manager of the company's auto manufacturing.
    "ISO 14001 registration goes beyond government compliance with a system
focused on continuous environmental improvement," Adams said.  "Achieving this
environmental registration was a huge effort on the part of 13,200 HAM
associates at our auto, motorcycle and engine plants who got involved in our
environmental processes."
    Marysville Auto Plant, East Liberty Auto Plant, Anna Engine Plant and
Marysville Motorcycle Plant achieved ISO 14001 registration by implementing
comprehensive environmental management systems at each plant, said Richard
Lahiere, Senior Manager of HAM's Environmental Health and Safety Department.
    To achieve registration, each plant established procedures to control,
measure and improve environmental performance.  Third-party auditors inspect
each plant twice a year to ensure conformance with ISO 14001 requirements.
    "Honda is committed to a 'green factory' concept, which aims to make us
industry leaders at reducing waste and emissions, and improve our
environmental impact," Lahiere said.  "ISO 14001 establishes clear guidelines
on how to manage environmental activities in a manufacturing setting."
    In December, the Marysville Motorcycle Plant earned the "Ohio Governor's
Award for Outstanding Achievement in Pollution Prevention" for replacing a
solvent-based paint system with a powder coat paint process.  The new system
significantly reduced air emissions while improving manufacturing
efficiencies.
    Efforts to reduce HAM's impact on the environment have been going on for
years.  The East Liberty Auto Plant started production in 1989 with the first
waterborne paint system for automobiles in the United States.  In 1993, the
Marysville Auto Plant reduced emissions by 305,000 pounds per year by
improving the capture of paint solvents.  The Anna Engine Plant receives scrap
steel from stamping operations at the Marysville Auto Plant for casting into
engine and brake components.  This resulted in recycling more than 30,000 tons
of steel in 1997.
    In 1998, Honda of America Mfg. produced 694,000 cars, 918,000 auto and
motorcycle engines, 38,200 motorcycles and 127,000 all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
for the U.S. and North America, and for export around the world.  Located in
west central Ohio, the plants produce the Honda Accord, Acura 3.2TL, Honda
Civic and Acura CL automobiles; Gold Wing, Valkyrie and Shadow motorcycles;
and FourTrax ATVs.