The Honda plant in Alliston, Ont. Has earned the 2023 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star for outstanding energy efficiency.

Honda announced all its U.S. and Canadian auto plant locations earned this certification.

In the case of Honda of Canada Mfg. in Alliston, this is the fourth such award for its auto and engine plants. U.S. EPA began Energy Star certification of manufacturing plants in Canada in 2018, working with Natural Resources Canada.

Honda said in a Jan. 10 news release it is working toward a global goal of zero environmental impact by 2050 through what it calls a “Triple Action to Zero” approach. This includes “achieving carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities, 100 per cent utilization of renewable energy, and resource circulation, utilizing 100 per cent sustainable materials by reprocessing products back to raw materials and reusing those materials in the creation of new products.”

Honda says its per-vehicle CO2 emissions from auto production have been reduced by 39 per cent over the last 10 years, and the company has also achieved near zero-waste-to-landfill, reducing waste to landfills by 90 per cent since 2001.

Honda also is offsetting CO2 emissions from its North American manufacturing through long-term virtual power purchase agreements for renewable wind and solar power that aims to cover more than 60 per cent of the electricity the company uses in North America.

“Our global goal to achieve carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050 has led Honda to undertake a number of environmental initiatives at our manufacturing plants in North America,” said Jeff Waid, who leads Honda’s Green Factory efforts for manufacturing in North America, in the release.

“Energy efficiency initiatives and sustainable business practices focused on waste and water reduction are central to our environmentally responsible practices and we are honored to earn the U.S. EPA Energy Star certificate.”