Managing Chemical Substances

We have adopted a Group-wide IT system for managing chemical substances

Chemical Risk Management

We manage chemical risk with an online chemical substance management system called CEGNET launched in 1998 in Japan. Using CEGNET we are maintaining a system that applies whenever a new chemical is used. Data on hazardous chemicals and applicable laws are collected, and a special committee for chemical substances determines the level of management. Whenever a regulated hazardous substance is used, its handling is carefully managed through close coordination among all business operations, including design, manufacturing, and purchasing.

Comprehensive Management of Chemical Substances

Reducing VOC Emissions

To prevent air pollution, we are reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), while monitoring and controlling the amounts released and transferred. Based on a program from the Ministry of the Environment to reduce VOC emissions by 2010, our own emission reduction plan covers 41 VOCs. Within Japan, we set the goal of reducing emissions by 50 percent (from fiscal 2000). Outside of Japan, taking into account the effect of transferring production or a production increase, we adopt the ratio of VOC emissions to the volume used as our measure. Our target is a 10-percent reduction in the emission ratio^*1 by fiscal 2010 (from fiscal 2005).
In fiscal 2008, Hitachi Displays, Ltd. installed an exhaust gas treatment system (concentration/regenerative thermal oxidation method) to reduce atmospheric emissions from VOC solvents used to make LCD panels. VOC vapor in exhaust gas is trapped in an absorber condenser, then completely oxidized and rendered harmless. In this way, we cut VOC emissions by 44 percent over the previous year.

*1

Reduction in emission ratio
The percent difference between the 2005 emission ratio and the emission ratio in the subject year. The emission ratio is calculated as VOC emissions divided by total volume of VOC handled.

Reducing VOC Emissions

In fiscal 2008, our VOC emissions in Japan totaled 4,000 tonnes, 62 percent below the 2000 level. Emissions from our plants outside Japan totaled 523 tonnes, a 24 percent reduction in the emission ratio compared with the baseline year, fiscal 2005.

Trend in VOC Emissions (Japan)

Trend in VOC Emissions (outside Japan)

Managing PRTR Substances

To comply with Japan’s Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR) Law, we monitor the chemical substances released into the atmosphere or public waters, transferred outside our facilities as waste, or discharged into sewage systems. In Japan, we report this data to local governments, as required by law. Although substances handled in very small quantities need not be reported, our policy is to keep data on all PRTR substances, provided the amount is 10 kilograms or more per year, so that we can cut back on those substances as well.

PRTR Compliance

In fiscal 2008, the Hitachi Group used 120 of the 354 PRTR substance groups, handling approximately 189,000 tonnes. Of this amount, 1 percent was released and 1 percent transferred. In fiscal 2008, 110 of our facilities submitted PRTR reports to local governments.

SOx (Sulfur Oxides) and NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) Emissions

In fiscal 2008, SOx emissions by Hitachi Group operations in Japan were 64 tonnes, a 36 percent reduction from fiscal 2006, and NOx emissions fell to 571 tonnes, a 35 percent drop from 2006. SOx emissions from all facilities outside Japan totaled 11 tonnes, down 39 percent from fiscal 2006, and NOx emissions outside Japan came to 23 tonnes, a reduction of 26 percent.

• page top