Overview - Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Since 1997, Toyota Motor
Corporation has sold more than 2.25
million hybrid electric vehicles
globally. Toyota and Lexus dealers
in North America have placed more
than three quarters of a million of
these vehicles into the stream of
commerce since the introduction of
the first generation Prius in 2000. All
of these vehicles use high voltage
(HV) Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH)
traction batteries for energy capture
and storage. All of these batteries
are recyclable.

Consistent with Toyota's Global Earth Charter, our goal is to eliminate waste in everything
we do, including the way we manage vehicles when they reach end of life - ELV. Therefore,
when Toyota/Lexus hybrid electric vehicles reach their end of life, and/or when the HV NiMH
traction battery reaches its end of life, Toyota strives to recover and recycle these batteries.
By doing so, we:

• Demonstrate our Corporate Social Responsibility
• Recover valuable raw materials to build more batteries for future vehicles
• Conserve our planet's natural resources
• Ensure compliance with ELV regulatory requirements

Warranty and Non-Warranty HV Battery Recovery and Shipping Procedures

Click here for detailed instructions on how to prepare, package, and ship HV batteries.

Dismantler Recovered HV Batteries

Dealers are encouraged to serve their communities by recovering HV battery cores from local dismantlers and returning them to TMS for recycling. Toyota and Lexus dealers are authorized to pay a $150 recycling fee to any salvage yard for the recovery of an HV battery. The dealer may then submit a claim to TMS to recover $200, which includes the $150 recycling fee and a $50 administrative handling fee for the dealer.

This recycling fee reimbursement is not applicable to wholesale and retail customers or to HV batteries replaced under warranty or customer pay. For batteries returned by wholesale and retail customers, Toyota will cover dealer shipping costs from the dealership to Toyota.

For All Recoveries of HV Batteries Where the HV Battery Case is Missing, Physically Damaged or Wetness is Evident

For all HV Battery recoveries where the case is physically damaged, the metal cover is missing, the bus-bar covers are missing, or wetness is evident, the dealer should contact the CLEAN Dealer EH&S Hotline at 877-KPA4EHS (877-572-4347). The CLEAN Dealer EH&S Hotline will contact a hazardous material contractor on behalf of the dealer, who will recover and transport the HV battery. The CLEAN Dealer EH&S Hotline will provide the hazardous material contractor with the dealer phone number and contact. The hazardous material contractor will then contact the dealer for a time and location of pickup.

Conclusion

Consistent with Toyota's Earth Charter, Toyota has a strong desire to see that all HV batteries ultimately find their way back into the battery manufacturing cycle. As a Toyota/Lexus dealer, you play a very important role in this process. Thank you for your efforts to minimize Toyota's footprint on the environment.

Additional References