Automotive Manufacturing Waste Management Trend
The following graph shows the 10-year trend in quantities of TRI chemical waste managed through recycling, energy recovery, treatment, and disposal or other releases by facilities in the automotive manufacturing sector. For more details on quantities released, toggle to the “Releases only” graph.
From 2014 to 2023:
- Waste managed from automotive manufacturing increased by 7 million pounds (4%). The increase was driven by increased recycling, while quantities of waste released and treated decreased.
- The sector’s waste management trend is driven by the recycling of metals, such as manganese, chromium, copper, nickel and zinc, from facilities in the automotive parts manufacturing subsector.
From 2022 to 2023:
- Waste managed: 9.8 million pound increase (5%), driven by increased recycling.
The following graph shows the quantities of TRI chemicals released by facilities in the automotive manufacturing industry.
From 2014 to 2023:
- Releases from the automotive manufacturing sector: 3 million pound decrease (-14%) driven by decreases to air.
- The sector’s releases are primarily to air, with certain glycol ethers, 1,2,4 trimethylbenzene, n-butyl alcohol, and xylene accounting for about two-thirds of the sector’s releases to air each year. These chemicals are components of paints, coatings, and cleaners used in the sector.
- Sector’s value added: 34% increase, as reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Value Added by Industry (represented by the black line).
From 2022 to 2023:
- Releases: 1.5 million pound increase (9%), driven by an increase in off-site disposal. About half of the sector’s off-site disposal is disposed of in landfills.
Pollution Prevention in the Automotive Manufacturing Sector
In 2023, 82 facilities in this sector initiated 189 pollution prevention activities. The most commonly reported type of pollution prevention activity was Process and Equipment Modifications. For example:
- A radiator manufacturer altered production workflow and added replacement machinery which reduced copper waste associated with process downtime. [Click to view facility details in the TRI P2 Search Tool]
- A motor vehicle part manufacturer improved diisocyanate material management by installing temperature sensors that alert personnel if the material storage area is outside of accepted temperature range. [Click to view facility details in the TRI P2 Search Tool]
You can learn more about pollution prevention opportunities in this sector by using the TRI P2 Search Tool. Facilities interested in exploring pollution prevention opportunities at their site can contact their Regional P2 Coordinator to arrange a free on-site P2 assessment.
This page was published in August 2025 and uses the 2023 TRI National Analysis dataset made public in TRI Explorer in October 2024.