GM plans to make 80 of its global manufacturing centers landfill-free by the end of 2010, while 43 have already reached the benchmark. Thirty-three are recent additions.

So far, several plants in Michigan, Maryland, Virginia and New York have made the grade, as well as plants in Canada, Mexico, Germany, Poland, France, Austria, Hungary,  and Korea. Going green means more for GM than just environmental benefits, as the metal recycling programs implemented at the landfill-free plants will recoup a billion dollars a year. Yes, that’s billion, with a “b”.  Cardboard and plastic recycling will net another 16 million just in North America. Does this mean we’ll get those feel-good car commercials from GM like the current batch from Subaru? We hope not.