A recent report shows that movie studios have diverted 63% (40.2 million pounds!) of their solid waste (read: sets and the like) to recycling processes rather than landfills. Because of these efforts, they’ve reduced emissions by an amount equal to removing 7,315 cars from the road, according to an April press release from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).

This news slipped under the radar, as press releases from something called the “Solid Waste Task Force” are bound to. This group is actually a rather exciting and relevant joint program of the MPAA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, created with the goal of combating climate change and reducing Hollywood’s ecological footprint.

The MPAA also featured highlights of the recent green practices of a some major studios. Hit the jump below for some of the best:

Disney has created an Environmental Steward position on every live-action film to coordinate best environmental practices.

Fox has bought 4 5-ton hybrid trucks for production use. Emissions will be 60% lower than a standard 5-ton diesel.

During the very green creation of the film Wolverine, recycling information was printed on the call sheets, food waste was diverted to a local farm, and water dispensers were used instead of water bottles.

All of Disney studios DVD and Blu-Ray packages are now 100% recyclable.

Warner Bros. has completed Stage 23, their new LEED building equipped with efficient lighting, cooling technology to ensure minimal consumption at peak times, environmentally preferable construction materials, non-toxic paints and concrete with the highest fly ash component, along with many other eco-friendly choices.

It’s great to see the MPAA and the studios taking some real steps to reducing waste, increasing efficiency and creating a more sustainable industry. It’s a shame that this info wasn’t carried by the mainstream press. Looks like there’s still more work to do…

For the full details from the MPAA download the full press release here.