Environmental Protection
Compliance with Environmental Laws and Regulations
The Sumitomo Riko Group is thorough in its efforts to ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations. However, in fiscal 2020, two cases of exceeding the standard value for wastewater concentration were found at domestic and overseas sites. Both of these incidents occurred because the wastewater treatment facilities had slightly insufficient capacity to treat the highly concentrated wastewater. We will make systematic improvements to the facilities to prevent similar problems from occurring.
In order to ensure thorough compliance with environmental laws and regulations at each site, the Regional Environmental Subcommittee, which is attended by environmental officers from sites in Japan, provides explanations of revised environmental laws and regulations and introduces examples of violations found at other sites to encourage voluntary checks. Overseas, in China where environmental regulations are drastically strengthened, we distribute information on environmental regulations obtained from an environmental consulting firm to our site in China weekly so as to thoroughly communicate revisions to the laws and encourage the site to consider countermeasures. Moreover, during environmental inspections, which we conduct periodically, visiting site in Japan and overseas in turn, the situation concerning legal compliance is checked to prevent any violation.
We have also made "Environmental Management Guidelines," which explains the principles of environmental management, our approach to environmental management, and how to deal with problems when they occur, and use them as educational materials for managers and executives posted overseas, as well as for environmental staff at our sites. In addition, we have also made and released "How to Conduct Environmentally Friendly Construction Work," which outlines the environmental considerations that should be taken into account in the construction work ordered by each site, in an effort to not only comply with the law but also to avoid causing inconvenience to neighboring areas.
Examples of Environmental Protection Measures
Purification of soil and groundwater
At the Komaki Plant, Matsusaka Plant, and Saitama Plant, groundwater contamination due to the use of chlorinated solvents in the past was found, and purification is being carried out systematically and continuously, and has been reported to the government. A summary of the current purification process is as follows.
Komaki Plant
Decontamination by the air stripping method began in June 2001, and water quality has been monitored since then. Contaminant concentration has been decreasing steadily, verifying the effectiveness of this decontamination method. Decontamination using the anaerobic biological method was conducted additionally in fiscal 2015. Currently, we are promoting decontamination using the air stripping method.
Matsusaka Plant
Decontamination by the air stripping method commenced in December 2005, and the water quality has been monitored since then. Contaminant concentration has been decreasing steadily, verifying the effectiveness of this decontamination method. To enhance the decontamination efficiency, we have been using the anaerobic biological method since August 2009.
Saitama Plant
Decontamination of groundwater by the air stripping method began in March 2007, and water quality has been monitored since then. Contamination concentration has been decreasing steadily, verifying the effectiveness of this decontamination method. Decontamination using the anaerobic biological method was also conducted three times in 2007, 2017, and 2019 to further promote decontamination.
Biodiversity Conservation Efforts
The Sumitomo Riko Group believes that the conservation of biodiversity is an important environmental issue to be addressed. For example, we endorse the Nagano Prefecture's "Forest Foster Parent Promotion Project" and the Mie Prefecture's "Corporate Forest Project" for forestation, and are conducting forest conservation activities as the "Sumitomo Riko Forest" in Ikeda Town, Nagano Prefecture, and Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture. Several times a year, we dispatch volunteer teams to participate in social gatherings with local residents including forest conservation activities. In addition to the above, Tokai Chemical Industries, LTD. participates in forest conservation and Satoyama restoration activities in Mitake Town, Gifu Prefecture.
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