Boeing's $100M Recycling Effort Turns Demolished Plant into Environmental Success

Boeing's Plant 2 in Seattle stood for 75 years as a hub of aircraft production. Built in 1936, it was home to the assembly of over 7,000 B-17 Flying Fortresses and the first three Boeing 737s during the 1960s. By 1970, primary aircraft manufacturing shifted away from Plant 2, which then became a production and machine shop for other Boeing work.

In the 1990s and 2000s, the facility transformed into a restoration center for historic aircraft. The last aircraft left the plant in September 2010, marking the end of an era. Demolition began shortly after, with nearly 100% of materials being recovered and reused.

More than 10,000 tons of steel were recycled, along with substantial amounts of old-growth timber used for furniture and building materials. Approximately 85 percent of the plant's original materials, including steel, wooden beams, copper wire, and concrete, were repurposed or recycled.