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CSR

Continuous Improvement of Responsible Care Activities

Reduction of Industrial Waste and Pollutant Emissions

Policy/Philosophy

With the development of socio-economics, there is a call to move away from the "mass production, mass consumption, mass disposal" system and reduce resource consumption by promoting efficient use and recycling of substances from production to distribution, consumption, and disposal to form a “recycling society” which will have less impact on the environment.

Therefore, our Group is further promoting the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) through responsible care activities, striving to reduce waste and make effective use of it.

Furthermore, with regard to the emission of chemical substances generated by production activities into the atmosphere, waters, and soil, appropriate management shall be conducted to comply with emission standards set forth by various laws and regulations as well as regulatory values based on local agreements to reduce the burden on people's health and the environment.

System

Indicators

Waste

Indicator Scope Unit FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 FY2020 Target
(Year)
Volume of waste generation non-consolidated 1000tons 34.7 34.0 35.3 38.0 ‐
Recycled volume non-consolidated 1000tons 5.6 5.8 6.0 8.7 -
Final disposal volume non-consolidated 1000tons 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 -
Recycling rate non-consolidated % 97.9 97.7 97.0 97.3 ≧99.5 (2021)

Emissions to Atmosphere

Indicator Scope Unit FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 FY2020
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)※ non-consolidated ton 0.5 0.4 0.7 0.4
NOx non-consolidated ton 112 105 132 124
SOx non-consolidated ton 192 131 130 55
Dust non-consolidated ton 18 11 9 9
  • Including other than benzene and formaldehyde

Control of Waste Water

Indicator Scope Unit FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 FY2020
COD emissions non-consolidated ton 291 200 202 208
Total phosphorus emissions non-consolidated ton 13 11 15 14
Total nitrogen emissions non-consolidated ton 2879 3565 3039 3059

PRTR Substances

Indicator Scope Unit FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 FY2020
Emissions of
PRTR Substances		 Atmosphere non-consolidated ton 0.5 0.4 0.7 0.4
Waters non-consolidated ton 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.4
Soil non-consolidated ton 0 0 0 0
Total non-consolidated ton 0.9 0.9 1.2 0.8

Activities

Reduction of Waste

We thoroughly implement control measures to ensure the proper disposal of waste, while also are striving to reduce industrial waste. We also applied electronic manifests using legal compliance system for waste.

Waste water discharged in the manufacturing process accounts for the majority of our industrial waste. We treat this waste internally by means of combustion. The industrial waste generated in FY2020 increased compared to that of FY2019. Although the recycled volume also increased, the final disposal volume increased slightly. As a result, the recycling rate※ was 97.3%, a slight increase from the previous fiscal year.

Waste volume [1,000 tons]

Recycled volume / Final disposal volume (1,000tons)

 
  • Recycling rate (%)＝[Recycled volume (ton)+Volume of valuable regenerative (ton)＋Volume of reduction (ton)]÷[Volume of waste generation (ton)＋Volume of valuable regenerative (ton)]×100

Reduction of Emissions of VOCs

We regularly take initiatives to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which cause the formation of photochemical oxidants. Among the twelve substances of VOCs which were selected, formulated voluntary management plan, and worked on reduction by chemical industry, three (1,2-dichloroethane, benzene, and formaldehyde) were handled in the Company. As a result of measures such as the introduction of VOC removal equipment, 1,2-dichloroethane has not been discharged to the atmosphere since 2006. In addition, emissions of benzene have been eliminated since FY2017 due to the conversion of naphtha to natural gas as a fuel and feedstock. We are also reducing emissions of formaldehyde through measures such as sealing facilities and combustion treatment of exhaust gases.

Emissions of organic air pollutants (ton)

 

Control of Exhaust Gas

We control exhaust gas by observing the discharge standards in the "Air Pollution Control Act" and regulatory values based on agreements with local communities. We maintain the proper conditions in our desulfurization facilities and denitrification facilities in an effort to control the emissions of air pollutants such as sulfur oxide (SOx) and nitrogen oxide (NOx). Since FY2017, the conversion of boiler fuel to natural gas has resulted in significant reduction in SOx emissions and dust emissions.

SOx emissions / NOx emissions (ton)

Dust emissions (ton)

 

Control of Waste Water

Our plants observe the discharge standards stipulated in the "Water Pollution Control Act" and regulatory values based on agreements with local communities. In addition, at the Onoda Plant, we have been taking measures to maintain the quality of waste water discharged from the plant in line with the "Act on Special Measures concerning Conservation of the Environment of the Seto Inland Sea". We monitor the chemical oxygen demand (COD), the total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentration in waste water of each plant on a regular basis and work to reduce these emissions.

COD (left axis) / Total phosphorus (left axis) / Total nitrogen (right axis) emissions (ton)

 

Reduction of Emissions of PRTR Substances

In FY2020, we emitted 55 chemical substances whose emissions must be registered in accordance with the “Act on Confirmation, etc. of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof (PRTR law)”. The main substances emitted were formaldehyde and n-hexane, which are used as a reaction solvent.

The total volume of emissions was 0.78 tons, including 0.38 tons to the atmosphere and 0.40 tons to the water. Since FY 2017, we have significantly reduced emissions into the atmosphere. We will continue to take steps to control the emissions. We did not emit these substances into the soil.

Emissions of PRTR substances [ton]

Breakdown of emissions of PRTR substances [ton]

 

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

 

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