Initiatives for Reducing Impacts on the Environment Back Number (2018)
Back to Latest Initiatives for Reducing Impacts on the Environment
Basic Approach
Atmospheric emissions and wastewater from plants can be a source of water, air, and soil pollution that poses a threat to local communities. At the MinebeaMitsumi Group, we believe that harmony with local communities is indispensable to our business activities, and as such, we are striving to reduce our impact on the environment.
Results of FY2017 Initiatives
The MinebeaMitsumi Group ensures compliance with the environmental laws and regulations of each country and locality. For plant wastewater and other types of waste, we have established in-house environmental standards exceeding the national and local regulations and monitor waste management on a daily basis. In FY2017, at all of our Group plants, we further strengthened daily monitoring and environmental patrols to ensure there are no leakages, foul odors, noise, vibration or other issues that could inconvenience surrounding communities.
Plant Initiatives
Plant Wastewater Purification
Fujisawa Plant's wastewater processing facility
Prior to releasing wastewater into rivers, MinebeaMitsumi Group plants use their own processing equipment to purify it within fixed environmental standards. These plants adhere to environmental laws of the countries and localities in which they operate, and independently monitor such wastewater discharges, including regular testing for such metrics as pH1, COD2, BOD3, SS4, and n-hexane extracts55.
- pH: A scale indicating whether substances are acidic or alkaline. pH7 is neutral. pH values below 7 indicate increasing acidity, while values above 7 indicate increasing alkalinity.
- COD (chemical oxygen demand): The amount of oxygen consumed to oxidize organic substances (pollution) in water. COD measurement takes less time than BOD measurement, but is less reliable. COD is generally used as a metric in wastewater management for sea, lake, and marsh waters.
- BOD (biological oxygen demand): The amount of oxygen required for bacteria to consume and decompose organic matter (pollution) in water. Higher values indicate greater degrees of pollution. Measurement takes several days. BOD is generally used to observe effluent water in rivers.
- SS (suspended solids): The volume of substances suspended in water. The higher the number, the greater the degree of water pollution.
- n-Hexane extracts: Substances extracted from oils and detergents that are difficult to volatilize in water using a substance called n-hexane as solvent. In this report they signify mineral oils.
Implementation of Environmental Patrols at Overseas Plants (Thailand, China, Malaysia, Cambodia)
Members of the Japanese Group Environment Management Department of the MinebeaMitsumi Group regularly visit overseas plants to implement environmental patrols together with members of the local environment management departments.
In FY2017, we conducted joint patrols at all plants in Thailand, China, Malaysia, and Cambodia.
Minor management deficiencies were confirmed at some waste storage locations, but they were immediately improved following the patrols.
Hazardous Waste Warehouse at the Lopburi Plant (Thailand)
Inspection of side ditch for rainwater at Shanghai Plant, China
Outdoor waste storage location at plant in Malaysia
Outdoor waste storage location at plant in Cambodia
Observation of Waste Disposal Sites (Japan, Thailand, China, and other countries)
Some waste material generated at plants and offices can be difficult to reuse or recycle at the plant or office. This type of waste material is outsourced to waste treatment companies for processing.
The MinebeaMitsumi Group selects reliable treatment companies for outsourcing processing and periodically visits the processing sites to observe the status of processing and management. We will continue to cooperate with treatment companies and take measures to prevent environmental contamination including soil, water, and air pollution during waste processing.
In August 2017, plants in Thailand inspected GENCO's Ratchaburi Plant where sludge and other waste is disposed of in a landfill.
Operation of Plant Wastewater Zero System (Thailand & China)
The MinebeaMitsumi Group operates plants which use large amounts of water in the processing of manufactured products and take measures to reduce emissions of wastewater.
Our plants purify used water to reduce the level of waste to below standards required by each country and locality before releasing the water into the environment. Despite these measures, we cannot guarantee that the released water has zero impact on the surrounding environment.
At our plants in Thailand and China, which use large amounts of water, we have adopted the "Plant Wastewater Zero System" to reduce to as close to zero as possible the wastewater released and its impact on the environment.
In this system, the plants further purify wastewater that was previously treated and released into the environment, and then reuse the entire amount of wastewater internally at the plant without any external emissions.
Currently, this system is being used by the Bang Pa-in and Ayutthaya plants in Thailand, as well as the Shanghai and Xicen plants in China.
Bang Pa-in Plant "Plant Wastewater Zero System"
Xicen Plant "Plant Wastewater Zero System" building
Management of PRTR-controlled Substances (Japan)
In accordance with the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) Law, all of our places of business in Japan manage the amounts of PRTR-controlled substances used and transported.
Reported Results for FY2017
| Control number | Substance name | Volume handled | Emission Volumes | Transfer volumes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air | Water | Landfill | Waste | Sewerage | |||
| 71 | Ferric chloride | 3.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 384 | 1-bromopropane | 14.8 | 13.3 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 0 |
| 438 | Methylnaphthalene | 1.8 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 19.7 | 13.31 | 0.6 | ||||
BCP Training Drills and Waste Oil Spill Prevention Drills (Japan)
In September 2017, the Karuizawa Plant held its 16th business continuity plan (BCP) training drill. Drills were conducted to minimize the damage from waste oil spills in the event of an earthquake.
Drill scenario
- Occurrence of an earthquake with an intensity of upper 6 on the Japanese scale of 7 in Matsumoto City and simultaneous quakes directly under Tokyo and along the Nankai Trough
- Intensity of lower 6 on the Japanese scale of 7 at Karuizawa Plant
- Fire from tool and die plant
- Oil spill
etc.
BCP training and oil spill prevention drills at Karuizawa Plant
Chemical Substance Leak Preparedness Training (China)
The Shanghai and Xicen plants in China conduct emergency response training through chemical substance leak simulations. The Environmental Safety Committee at each plant conducts the training to minimize human injury and environmental pollution by taking appropriate measures in the event of a leak. The training is held annually for manufacturing division employees handling hazardous chemicals substances, suppliers of hazardous chemical substances, hazardous materials recovery companies, and cleaning companies.
In FY2017, 26 people participated in a training session at the Shanghai Plant on April 19. In addition, 37 people participated in training at the Xicen Plant on April 20. The sessions, held under the guidance of the Environmental Safety Committee’s Chemical Substances Management Group and the responsible fire department, involved on-site training on diffusion prevention with absorbent materials in case of leakage of dangerous chemicals, how to deal with injuries, and the emergency contact procedures.
Chemical substance leakage preparedness training session at Xicen Plant
Future Issues and Goals
The MinebeaMitsumi Group will continue to conduct business operations in compliance with environmental laws in Japan and around the world and is implementing countermeasures in areas where it has caused environmental contamination in the past.
As we announced in a press release on July 20, 2018, the Group completed soil purification measures at the site of the former Ichinoseki Plant in Iwate Prefecture in 2011, but recent testing conducted in preparation for demolition of the factory building determined that environmental pollutants are present in part of the site. The Group immediately decided to implement countermeasures to address this issue.
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