VW On Track to Shrink Eco Footprint 25%

Volkswagen says its environmental program is on track to reduce energy and water consumption, as well as waste, CO2 and solvent emissions at all Volkswagen plants throughout the world by 25 percent by 2018, compared to 2010 levels.

This is the interim assessment made by more than 250 environmental experts from 27 VW plants.

The automaker’s Think Blue. Factory program includes some 5,000 individual measures are to be taken by 2018.

Volkswagen says it has already implemented more than 2,700 projects and made its production processes 17 percent more environmentally sustainable over the past three years.

For example, water used to test the firefighting system at the Curitiba plant in Brazil is recycled as cooling water following the tests. The Zwickau and Pamplona plants have significantly reduced water consumption for vehicle tightness tests — the vehicle production stage that requires most water following the paintshop. The Chemnitz engine plant is saving water, energy and lubricants by filtering cooling emulsion after use.