Seoul - Kia Motors Corporation has made progress in reducing the environmental impact of its production facilities, according to the company’s annual ‘MOVE’ sustainability report.
The Korean car manufacturer’s ongoing efforts to introduce more environmentally sustainable production methods have, over the past 12 months, resulted in lower greenhouse gas emissions levels, less waste and reduced water use across its domestic production sites, claims the automaker.
Focus on recycling
Kia says its focus on improving production methods has resulted in a 12.4% per-unit reduction in the volume of raw materials required since 2014 and a 21.5% reduction since 2003.
This includes a 22.1% drop in the amount of steel needed to produce each individual car, as well as an 11.7% drop in the consumption of paint throughout the same period since 2003.
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Recycling rates have risen, with the company finding alternative uses for 93.7% (219 000 tons) of all waste materials. The automaker also says it has introduced programs to recycle and re-use paint and thinners, while other waste is being used to make cement for construction.
Drop in water consumption
A finite resource, the manufacturer has introduced a range of measures to conserve water, including employee water conservation campaigns and stemming cooling water overflow to improve water recovery rates from condensed steam produced during car manufacture.
Kia claims its water use has decreased by 5.5% in total volume in 2015 from 2014 and per-unit consumption of water is down 38.5% since 2003.
Lower per-unit production emissions
In 2015, per-unit emissions of CO2 generated during production fell 2.8% year-on-year, and have reduced by 29.6% since 2008.
At the same time, the level of harmful air pollutants generated per vehicle during the manufacturing process – including paint particles, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dust particles and combustion gases – have also decreased, says Kia.
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VOC levels are now 54.2% lower than in 2005, while air pollutant emissions were slashed by 5% from 2014 to 2015, and are now 53% lower than in 2003.