Alcoa Wheels awarded environmental certification

Alcoa Wheel & Transportation Products (AWTP) has announced that its line of wheel products are now Silver Cradle to Cradle Certified CM. The award is a result of the company’s material choices and production processes, which the global sustainability consulting firm behind the certificate – McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry – deems environmentally safe and healthy. The recyclable nature of aluminium was also cited as a reason for Alcoa’s accreditation. The company’s wheels are the first products in the transportation industry to receive certification from the Cradle to Cradle Certified CM programme, a fact that Alcoa says can be attributed to the sustainable characteristics of its aluminium.

The evaluation of Alcoa wheels was conducted by MBDC, which developed the Cradle to Cradle concept in 1995. The multi-attribute eco-label assesses products for safety to human and environmental health, design for future use cycles, and sustainable manufacturing processes.  Products are evaluated for material health, material reutilization, renewable energy use, water stewardship and social responsibility. 

“Sustainability is at the heart of Alcoa, our business practices and our products, and something we strive for excellence in,” said Tim Myers, president, Alcoa Wheel & Transportation Products. “With an increased interest in sustainable solutions within the transportation industry, this certification is a landmark recognition of our efforts to ensure that each of our customers receive the most safe and environmentally-conscious products we can provide.”

The Cradle to Cradle Certified CM Product Program has become an important resource for companies like Alcoa to communicate their sustainability efforts.  To date, MBDC has certified more than 425 products in various industries and 125 companies worldwide have engaged in the Cradle to Cradle Certified CM program. 

“An industry leader in sustainability, Alcoa has achieved Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM Silver for a number of other products, including Alcoa primary aluminum,” said Jay Bolus, vice president of technical operations, MBDC.  “This latest certification demonstrates that Alcoa wheel products are pioneering the way for more sustainable solutions within the transportation industry.”