GM aims to recycle waste from most of its factories

DETROIT, Sept 5 (Reuters) - General Motors Corp (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Friday it aims to convert all waste from more than half of its manufacturing plants around the world by 2010.

The struggling No.1 U.S. automaker, which has posted total losses of $51 billion in the past three calendar years, currently makes about $1 billion in global revenue by recycling steel scraps.

In North America, GM said, it generated $16 million from sales of recycled cardboard, wood, oil, plastic and other materials.

Currently, the automaker recycles all waste from 43 of its manufacturing facilities, which are dubbed "landfill-free" operations. The number is expected to rise to over 80 by 2010.

The company has over 160 factories worldwide.

GM's effort to recycle waste from its factories is part of a broader move by automakers to become more environmentally responsible.

In April, Ford (F.N: Quote, Profile, Research) pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent over the next 12 years following pressure from activist investors.

(Reporting by Poornima Gupta; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)