Tar Fallout Halts Toyota Shipments

Toyota Motor Corp. has delayed delivery of roughly 23,000 vehicles in Japan after soot and tar from a nearby steel mill stained their exteriors, The Nikkei reports.

The problem began on June 22 with a power failure that created a buildup of toxic coke oven gas at a Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal steel plant in Tokai. The plant burned off the gas, generating huge clouds of tar-laden smoke.

The plume dumped grime onto vehicles awaiting shipment at two open lots in Aichi Prefecture, according to Toyota.

The Nikkei says Toyota has deployed 5,000 workers to clean and inspect the smudged vehicles. The carmaker estimates the problem will delay domestic and overseas shipments by as much three and four weeks, respectively.