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CSR Report 2013

Initiatives to Reduce Environmental Impact

Protection of the Atmospheric Environment

Boiler Emissions Countermeasures

At the Yokkaichi Plant, which generates its own power, we installed flue gas desulfurizers to reduce emissions of sulfur oxides (SOx). We also substantially cut emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by installing burners with low NOx emissions and denitrification equipment. SOx emissions declined in FY2013 as a result of the change in the operation of the boilers at the South Joint Power Plant, which provides energy to the Kashima Plant. JSR will continue to adopt the best emissions reduction technologies and will continue to make improvements.

SOx emissions, NOx emissions

Regarding PRTR

PRTR*1 Activities

The PRTR Law*2 was enacted in July 1999, and enforced in March 2000. Accordingly, since FY2002 we have been required to report PRTR results. The Japan Chemical Industry Association prioritized PRTR and implemented it ahead of other industries in FY1996; the scope of its survey has increased each year since then. As a member of the association, JSR will implement the survey on a continual basis.
The FY2013 results in accordance with the PRTR Law are detailed below.
Due to a revision of the PRTR Law, in FY2011, Class 1 Specified Chemical Substances subject to reporting requirements increased from 354 to 462 substances.
*1 Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR): A system for registering the emission and movement of environmental pollutants
*2 PRTR Law: Law Concerning Reporting, etc. of Releases to the Environment of Specific Chemical Substances and Promoting Improvements in Their Management

Amounts of Pollutants Emitted and Transferred in FY2012 (tons/year), Amounts of Atmospheric Emissions of PRTR Applicable Substances Emissions of Chemical Substances*3(PRTR Law)
Ordinance designated number Substance Amounts handled*4(t) Atmospheric emissions
(t)
Water emissions
(t)
Transfers*5
(t)
1 Zinc compounds (water-solble) 3.595 0.782 2.709 0.075
2 Acrylamide 88.036 0.000 0.000 0.000
4 Acrylic acid and its water-soluble salts 1,214.7 0.000 0.000 0.000
7 n-Butyl acrylate 1,988.9 0.000 0.000 0.000
9 Acrylonitrile 46,466.8 6.358 0.000 0.000
13 Acetonitrile 58.597 0.128 0.559 3.704
20 2-Aminoethanol 1.582 0.001 0.000 0.000
30 n-Alkylbenzensulfonic acid and its salts
(limited to those with 10 to 14 alkyl group carbons and their mixtures)
630.133 0.005 0.000 0.000
36 Isoprene 85,976.538 1.932 0.000 0.000
71 Ferric chloride 21.286 0.000 0.000 0.633
80 Xylene 4.015 0.001 0.000 0.000
83 Cumene 20.830 0.210 0.000 0.000
150 1,4-Dioxane 2.310 0.001 0.000 0.819
186 Dichloromethane
(also known as methylene dichloride)
37.561 2.054 0.000 2.485
190 Dicyclopentadiene 17,512.412 0.141 0.000 24.628
202 Divinylbenzene 32.328 0.003 0.000 0.000
203 Diphenylamine 2.279 0.000 0.000 0.000
207 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-cresol
(also known as BHT)
874.024 6.602 0.000 16.655
213 N, N-dimethylacetamide 5.497 0.032 0.000 0.007
220 Water-soluble salts of dimethyldithiocarbamic acid 38.006 0.002 0.000 0.000
234 Bromine 1,689.602 0.000 0.000 0.000
239 Organic tin compounds 1.289 0.000 0.000 0.000
240 Styrene 140,160.400 21.533 0.000 8.641
274 Tert-dodecanethiol 1,048.465 0.067 0.000 0.000
276 3, 6, 9-triazaundecane-1, 11-diamine
(also known as tetraethylenepentamine)
13.104 0.000 0.000 1.023
300 Toluene 4,414.447 53.284 0.230 2,281.825
309 Nickel compounds 0.816 0.000 0.022 0.1692
321 Vanadium compounds 39.822 0.000 0.000 38.933
330 Bis (1-methyl-1-phenylethyl) peroxide 17.114 0.000 0.000 0.000
337 4-Vinyl-1-cyclohexene 120.622 0.0 0.0 1.076
351 1, 3-Butadiene 642,089.0 8.4576 0.000 0.140
355 Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate 2.501 0.000 0.000 0.000
366 Tert-butyl hydroperoxide 7.719 0.000 0.000 0.000
392 n-Hexane 1,045.654 193.800 0.000 69.981
401 1, 2, 4-benzenetricarboxylic 1, 2-anhydride 7.408 0.000 0.000 0.000
405 Boron compounds 1.3559 0.000 0.583 0.000
415 Methacrylic acid 98.009 0.003 0.000 0.000
417 2, 3-Epoxypropyl methacrylate 8.719 0.000 0.000 0.000
420 Methyl methacrylate 7,298.491 1.513 0.000 0.000
436 α-Methylstyrene 11,463.531 1.839 0.000 0.000
440 1-Methyl-1-phenylethyl hydroperoxide 115.167 0.001 0.000 0.000
448 Methylenebis(4,1-phenylene) diisocyanate
(also known as MDI)
1.346 0.000 0.000 0.000
Total 964,623.9 298.8 4.1 2,450.794
243 Polychlorinated-dibenzo-p-dioxins*6 0.2465 0.0005 0.0313
*3 PRTR law gives the unit in kg but this report gives the unit in tons (to the first decimal place)
*4 The handling amount shows the figure after base deduction (1 ton/year per place of business)
*5 The transfer amount is the amount committed to intermediate waste service companies plus the amount discharged into public sewers
*6 Dioxin category unit mg-TEQ

Initiatives for Reducing VOC Emissions into the Atmosphere

JSR has long taken measures to reduce atmospheric releases of chemicals, but the FY2005 amendment to the Air Pollution Control Law expanded application to all volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOC is a general term for organic compounds that easily turn into a gas state when exposed to air. VOCs are believed to be one of the sources of suspended particulate matter and photochemical oxidants, which may have adverse effects on health.
To reduce VOC emissions, five dried-synthetic rubber waste incinerators were installed at three plants between FY2007 and FY2010. In FY2013, VOC emissions fell by approximately 76% from FY2001, enabling us to reach our target levels. We will continue our efforts to reduce VOC emissions.


Acrylonitrile, 1,3-Butadiene Dichloromethane, Styrene Toluene, VOC Emissions Volumes

Preservation of Water Quality

JSR performs rigorous wastewater management at all of its plants and strives to maintain and improve water quality. JSR is in full compliance with the 6th Total Pollutant Load Control that came into effect in April 2009. We will continue to strictly monitor water quality and strive to further reduce our impact on water supplies while paying attention to changes leading up to the 7th Total Pollutant Load Control that is scheduled to be enforced in April 2012.

Total Wastewater, Chemical Oxygen Demand Emissions Total Nitrogen Emissions, Total Phosphorus Emissions

Assessment of Soil and Groundwater Pollution

Groundwater (Environmental Quality Standards for Groundwater Pollution) and soil (major items regulated under environmental standards) at all three of our plants are periodically inspected. As in previous years, no problems were found in FY2013.

Asbestos Measures

In accordance with the Ordinance on Prevention of Hazards due to Asbestos, JSR has conducted checks at all of its facilities (office, manufacturing, R&D and employee amenity areas), including those of all Group companies, where asbestos containing materials have been sprayed. As a result, in FY2007, removal and enclosure projects were completed at locations in plants where asbestos was found. In addition, we are investigating the replacement of asbestos containing gaskets with non-asbestos containing types and are progressively carrying out replacements when the safety of their use in production has been confirmed.
In order to accommodate requests from the Labour Standards Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to thoroughly inform our employees of various systems, including the issuance of the asbestos-related health care handbook and the provision of special benefits as industrial workers' compensation for bereaved families, we introduced, on our website, the relevant leaflet released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Information on the asbestos-related health care handbook and the industrial workers' compensation system

PCB Management

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) is a highly toxic chemical that does not readily break down and is commonly used in transformers, capacitors, and other devices. JSR has stopped using PCB in approximately 96% of its electrical equipment and strictly stocks and manages PCB in accordance with applicable laws. We also intend to incrementally replace equipment that currently contains PCB in accordance with a replacement plan. Although JSR was initially obligated to complete the processing of all PCBs by 2016 under the Act on Special Measures concerning Promotion of Proper Treatment of PCB Wastes, the deadline was postponed until 2027 due to revision of the act in December 2012. JSR and its Group companies have already completed registration of electrical equipment containing PCB with PCB waste processing facilities. In FY2013 we transported 41units of equipment to processing facilities.

FY2013 Number of devices Oil containing PCB (litter)
Electrical devices Devices in storage (not in use) 129 96,586
Devices in operation 6 6,360
Total 135 102,946

Measurement of Ozone-depleting Substances

In 1994, JSR eliminated all use of carbon tetrachloride. By FY2011, at our manufacturing facilities, we had replaced all the large-scale designated equipment that contained chlorofluorocarbons with that employing chlorofluorocarbon substitutes.

Measures to Cut Power Consumption at the Head Office Building

Power Consumption at the Head Office Building (Compared with FY2011 Level)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government requires major tenants of a building occupying 5,000 square meters or more in floor area or consuming six million kWh or more of electricity annually to reduce its CO2 emissions under the Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance on Environmental Preservation.
Although we are not subject to this obligation, we are promoting energy conservation on our own initiative by voluntarily setting a specific power saving target.
In FY2013, as a result of the efforts specified below, our power consumption decreased by 18% compared to average consumption from the base years.

Power Saving Target for the Head Office Building

An 8% reduction compared to the average power consumption from the base years of FY2010 and FY2011

Major Efforts
  • Reduced the number of lights and office appliances, such as printers.
  • Visualized our power saving situation, and made our employees become more aware of turning off the power for unused machines and rooms.
  • Implemented the so-called “Cool Biz.”
  • Changed our employees' working schedule to have them begin work and return home earlier than usual on two days per week in July and August.
  • Maintained a proper air-conditioned room temperature that achieves a balance between energy savings and operational efficiency.

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CSR Report 2013