HomeCSRCSR Report 2015JSR Group CSR Priority Issues (Materiality) Energy Saving, Resource Saving, and Climate Change Countermeasures Environment and Safety (Related Data)

CSR Report

Inclusion into International Indices and Universe for International Socially Responsible Investment (SRI)

Energy Saving, Resource Saving, and Climate Change Countermeasures Environment and Safety (Related Data)

Protection of the Atmospheric Environment

Boiler Emissions Countermeasures

At the Yokkaichi Plant, which generates its own power, we installed fuel 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. In FY2014 the fuel conversion (from heavy oil to public utility gas) implemented at the Kashima Plant (Kashima Joint Power Generator) resulted in a reduction in both SOx and NOx emissions, an achievement that was maintained in FY2015. JSR will continue to adopt the best emissions reduction technologies and will continue to make improvements.

SOx emissions

SOx emissions

NOx emissions

NOx emissions

Regarding PRTR

PRTR*1 Activities

Every year, based on the Act on Confirmation, etc. of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof (PRTR Act*2), JSR aggregates the amount of designated chemical substances released into the environment (atmosphere, water and soil) or transferred by manufacturing or used in the previous year, and notifies the government of Japan of the results. Primarily for substances that are released in significant amounts and have a great impact on the environment, we have implemented a range of measures in a planned manner, including enhancing airtightness of their release source, rendering them harmless by incineration and improving their manufacturing processes. In FY2015, as a result of taking such measures, we reduced emissions of the substances designated by the PRTR Act (262 tons) by 90% from the FY1996 level.

*1 Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR): A system for registering the emission and movement of environmental pollutants

*2 PRTR Act: 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 FY2015
(tons/year)

(Including Techno Polymer Co., Ltd. KRATON JSR ELASTOMERS K.K. Japan Butyl Co., Ltd. Kashima Plant)

Amounts of Pollutants Emitted and Transferred in FY2015(tons/year)

Amounts of Atmospheric Emissions of PRTR Applicable Substances

Amounts of Atmospheric Emissions of PRTR Applicable Substances

FY2015 Emissions of Chemical Substances*3(PRTR Act)

Ordinance designated number Substance Amounts handled*4(t) Atmospheric emissions(t) Water emissions(t) Transfers*5(t)
1 Zinc compounds (water-solble) 1.638 0.000 1.638 0.000
2 Acrylamide 95.927 0.005 0.000 0.000
4 Acrylic acid and its water-soluble salts 1,355.6 0.000 0.000 0.000
7 n-Butyl acrylate 1,996.5 0.000 0.000 0.000
9 Acrylonitrile 37,600.2 9.888 0.000 0.000
13 Acetonitrile 79.4 0.112 0.561 2.916
20 2-Aminoethanol 3.8 0.003 0.000 0.000
30 n-Alkylbenzensulfonic acid and its salts
(limited to those with 10 to 14 alkyl group carbons and their mixtures)
1,166.8 0.006 0.000 0.000
36 Isoprene 82,980.7 0.568 0.000 0.762
71 Ferric chloride 19.4 0.000 0.000 0.000
80 Xylene 3.5 0.000 0.000 0.000
83 Cumene 16.3 0.164 0.000 0.000
86 Cresol 5.8 0.001 0.000 0.000
150 1,4-Dioxane 1.7 0.001 0.000 1.483
186 Dichloromethane 29.2 1.917 0.000 10.008
190 Dicyclopentadiene 13,924.8 0.083 0.000 22.694
202 Divinylbenzene 36.2 0.003 0.000 0.000
203 Diphenylamine 2.3 0.000 0.000 0.000
207 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-cresol 801.4 8.700 0.000 14.412
220 Water-soluble salts of dimethyldithiocarbamic acid 51.7 0.002 0.000 0.000
230 N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine 219.6 0.001 0.000 0.000
234 Bromine 1,399.2 0.000 0.000 0.000
239 Organotin compounds 0.5 0.000 0.000 0.000
240 Styrene 110,612.3 22.688 0.000 1.030
274 Tert-dodecanethiol 873.2 0.067 0.000 0.000
276 3, 6, 9-triazaundecane-1, 11-diamine (also known as tetraethylenepentamine) 10.9 0.000 0.000 0.930
297 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene 1.1 0.570 0.000 0.000
300 Toluene 2,727.9 44.939 0.170 165.458
309 Nickel compounds 5.8 0.000 0.017 0.134
321 Vanadium compounds 38.8 0.000 0.000 37.889
330 Bis (1-methyl-1-phenylethyl) peroxide 21.6 0.000 0.000 0.000
337 4-Vinyl-1-cyclohexene 113.8 0.000 0.000 2.391
351 1, 3-Butadiene 592,436.7 7.740 0.000 0.909
355 Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate 35.4 0.000 0.000 0.000
366 Tert-butyl hydroperoxide 17.4 0.000 0.000 0.000
392 n-Hexane 1,012.9 161.052 0.000 68.447
395 Water-soluble salts of peroxodisulfuric acid 1.4 0.000 0.000 0.000
405 Boron compounds 1.2 0.000 0.524 0.000
411 Formaldehyde 1.5 0.000 0.000 0.000
415 Methacrylic acid 98.2 0.000 0.000 0.100
417 2, 3-Epoxypropyl methacrylate 7.4 0.001 0.000 0.000
420 Methyl methacrylate 4,946.0 1.938 0.000 0.000
436 α-Methylstyrene 10,582.6 1.185 0.000 0.000
440 1- Methyl-1-phenylethyl hydroperoxide 90.3 0.001 0.000 0.000
448 Methylenebis (4,1-phenylene)=diisocyanate (MDI) 1.4 0.000 0.000 0.000
  Total 865,429.8 261.6 2.9 329.562
243 Polychlorinated-dibenzo-p-dioxins*6 0.0847 0.0006 0.0000

*3 PRTR Act gives the unit in kg to two significant figures 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

Having set a high voluntary goal of reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by 75% from FY2001 levels, JSR made a large-scale investment between FY2007 and FY2010 to install five dried-synthetic rubber waste incinerators in three plants. We also carried out meticulous maintenance and management activities, including enhancing the airtightness of release points, improving the working method by adopting a closed system for chemical sampling and preventing leakage from bulbs. As a result, our VOC emissions in FY2015 were 995 tons (77% reduction as compared to FY2001) and we therefore reached our independent target. As we ramp up our production volume, we will maintain the level of the current voluntary goal (75% reduction from FY2001) without a large-scale investment by ensuring proper operation of dried-synthetic rubber waste incinerators and finely tuned maintenance and management.

Reference: VOC reduction targets

(1) Air Pollution Control Act (enforced in April 2006): To achieve a 30% reduction in the amount of VOCs released into the atmosphere by FY2011 from the FY2001 level with the best mix of laws and regulations, along with operators’ voluntary activities.

(2) Japan Chemical Industry Association: To achieve a 51% reduction in the amount of VOCs released into the atmosphere by FY2011 from the FY2001 level

Acrylonitrile

Acrylonitrile

1,3-Butadiene

1,3-Butadiene

Dichloromethane

Dichloromethane

Styrene

Styrene

Toluene

Toluene

VOC Emissions Volumes

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 7th Total Pollutant Load Control that was put into operation in April 2012. We will continue to strictly monitor water quality and strive to further reduce our impact on water.

Total Wastewater

Total Wastewater

Chemical Oxygen Demand Emissions

Chemical Oxygen Demand Emissions

Total Nitrogen Emissions

Total Nitrogen Emissions

Total Phosphorus 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 FY2015.

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. Subsequently, at locations in plants where asbestos was found, we completed removal and enclosure projects in FY2007. 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.
The Air Pollution Control Act and the Ordinance on Prevention of Hazards due to Asbestos were amended on June 1, 2014 to prevent asbestos from spreading in the atmosphere, and accordingly, regulations concerning building demolition work were tightened. In accordance with these amended laws, we will continue to act properly to prevent workers engaged in building demolition from acquiring health problems caused by asbestos exposure.
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 the relevant leaflet released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on our website.

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

PCB Management

JSR stores and manages PCB waste in an appropriate manner in accordance with the "Act on Special Measures concerning Promotion of Proper Treatment of PCB Wastes" and subsequently carries out detoxication treatment in accordance with the law.

FY2015 Number of devices Oil containing PCB (liter)
Electrical devices Devices in storage (not in use) 49 48,496
Devices in operation 0 0
Total 49 48,496
Total number of devices treated 260 136,437
Current treatment status (%) 84.1 73.8

Measurement of Ozone-depleting Substances

JSR has been managing devices such as industrial air conditioners, refrigerators and freezers, and has been managing the use of freon gases in accordance with the Freon Emission Reduction Law (the Act on Ensuring the Implementation of Recovery and Destruction of Fluorocarbons concerning Designated Products), which has been in effect since April 2015.

Environment Distignished Service Award

To further encourage environmental protection activities, we created the Environment Merit Award for people who have made an important contribution to environmental protection through any of range activities that include environmental product and technology development, environmental impact reduction, and assisting local communities with environment-related issues. Eleven employees received this award for four areas of excellence in FY2015.

Environment Distinguished Services Award

Case Description
Yokkaichi Plant Plant Site Perimeter Odor Control Measures Since the wastewater sludge dewatering equipment building is located on the perimeter of the plant grounds, we anticipate that the sludge odor will exceed the standards set by the Odor Index, which will be introduced in 2015. Thus, we have selected a deodorizer and optimized conditions such as the concentration and amount of use, the location of use, the timing of use, and others, and we have devised an automatic dispensing method. This has led to an improvement in the Odor Index from 21 to 10 or below, which indicates that we have cleared the required level (18 or below). The odor reduction has also greatly improved the workplace environment.
Yokkaichi Plant Promoting the Reduction of Generated Waste by Improving Waste Sorting Methods We planned to reduce CO2 emissions by introducing sludge drying equipment and ceasing the use of 1 incinerator, but as we were unable to process waste oil and general waste, these were processed off-site.
Therefore, (1) We improved our sorting methods in order to prevent contamination of waste oil by water and impurities, and (2) improved our sorting methods in order to prevent contamination of paper by waste plastic and miscellaneous trash and we improved our waste paper selection process. These changes have allowed us to effectively sell these items. This resulted in our achieving reductions in environmental impact and reductions in off-site processing fee (from 30 million yen/year to 1.6 million yen/year).
Yokkaichi Plant CO2 Emission Reductions due to the Introduction of a Gas Turbine Intake Cooling System Because air density is lower during the hot summer months, the electricity output of gas turbines decreases. The amount of electricity output loss is compensated for through the use of coal boilers and steam turbines, but the use of coal leads to an increase in CO2 emissions. The installation of cooling systems on gas turbine intake vents has improved the summer output of the gas turbines and allowed us to achieve a reduction in CO2 equivalent of 1,000 tons/year.
Chiba Plant Odor Countermeasures when Receiving Resin Raw Materials Some of the resin raw materials used at the Chiba Plant have an unpleasant odor, which may leave us vulnerable to environmental-related complaints. Up to know we have controlled the amount discharged into the atmosphere and used countermeasures such as dilution diffusion of odors, but these measures have not been effective. Wrapping containers and pipes and the use of new carbon deodorizing filters has allowed us to trap odors. These preventative measures have led to decrease in the odor level to 1/10 of the previous level.

Environmental Accounting

  • JSR Independent Accounting

    JSR introduced environmental accounting in FY2000 with the following two objectives

    1. To strive to quantify the amount of resources invested into the environment and implement sound measures for the environment.
    2. To publish environmental accounting and increase corporate transparency.
  • Aggregation Scope

    JSR Head Office, Yokkaichi Plant, Chiba Plant, Kashima Plant and Research Laboratories

  • Target Period

    April 1, 2014 - March 31, 2015

  • Unit

    Million yen

Underlying Assumptions regarding Aggregation and Calculation

  1. Calculations are performed in accordance with the Environmental Accounting Guidelines, 2005 edition (Ministry of the Environment) and environmental guidelines used in the chemical industry (the Japan Chemical Industry Association and the Japan Responsible Care Council).
  2. While costs were mainly calculated based on actual results, some expenses were calculated based on underlying assumptions.
  3. Economic effects were substantial and did not include conversions of risk aversion effects or deemed effects into monetary amounts.

Environmental Protection Costs

YP: Yokkaichi Plant
KP: Kashima Plant
CP: Chiba Plant

(Unit: million yen)
Category Investment*7 Expense
FY2014 FY2015 FY2014 FY2015
(1) Business area costs 555 396 3,891 4,787
Breakdown (1)-1
Pollution prevention costs
344 330

Investments:
YP Air pollution prevention (160), Water pollution prevention (98), Odor prevention (28), KP Water pollution prevention (16), etc.

1,356 1,963

Expenses:
YP Air pollution prevention (619), Water pollution prevention (365), Odor prevention (338), KP Water pollution prevention (299), etc.

(1)-2
Global environmental protection costs
163 44

Investments:
YP Energy savings due to in-house power generation (28), KP Global warming prevention and energy savings (15), etc.

943 1,155

Expenses:
YP Energy savings due to in-house power generation (992), global warming prevention and energy savings (124), CP global warming prevention and energy savings (36), etc.

(1)-3
Resource circulation costs
48 22

Investments:
YP Industrial waste processing and disposal (21), etc.

1,592 1,669

Expenses:
YP Industrial waste recycling, etc. (366), industrial waste processing and disposal (868), head office industrial waste recycling (149), KP industrial waste processing and disposal (111), etc.

(2) Upstream/downstream costs 0 0 0 0
(3) Management activity costs 10 17

Investments:
Improvements at the Tsukiyama area in Yokkaichi Plant and green space improvements at new corporate housing in Morigayama (13), etc.

467 490

Expenses:
Environmental impact audit (94), ISO14001 maintenance and operation (55), environmental improvement measures (29).
CP Environmental improvement measures (36), etc.

(4) Research and development costs 0 0 1,670 1,636

Expenses:
Development of environmentally-friendly products (1381), environmental impact analyses and tests for the purpose of legal applications (251)

(5) Social activity costs 0 0 52 48

Expenses:
YP Amaike pump maintenance costs (21), Head Office Support for the International Center for Environmental Technology Transfer (ICETT) (17), organization charges (7), etc.

Total 565 413

6,080 6,961

*7 Refers to the amount of the orders placed

Environmental Protection Effects

Effect Index Unit FY2014 FY2015 Year-on-year improvement*8 Related information
Environmental effects related to resources used in business activities Energy use (crude oil equivalent) kl 267,500 265,400 −2,100 For more information
Use of resources designated under PRTR Act tons 932,200 865,430 −66,770 For more information
Water resource use Thousand cubic meters 15,100 14,900 −200 For more information
Environmental protection effects related to environmental impact and waste discharged from business activities CO2 emissions tons 645,500 658,600 13,100 For more information
SOx emissions tons 5 5 0 For more information
NOx emissions tons 328 322 −6 For more information
PRTR substance emissions tons 312 262 −50 For more information
Wastewater Thousand square meters 12,511 11,974 −537 For more information
COD emissions tons 444 445 1 For more information
Total nitrogen emissions tons 147 124 −23 For more information
Total phosphorus emissions tons 0.3 0.3 0.0 For more information
Waste materials from plants tons 23,535 25,803 2,268 For more information
Waste recycled off-site tons 22,118 24,154 2,036 For more information
Reduced volume of waste treated off-site tons 1,416 1,649 2,036 For more information
Waste materials from plants disposed of by landfill tons 0 0 0 For more information
PRTR materials transported tons 1,645 330 −1,315 For more information
Other environmental effects Products transported million ton-kilometer 492 523 31 For more information
CO2 emissions during transport tons 22,960 23,984 1,024 For more information
Environmental complaints (odor, noise, vibration) cases 0 0 0 For more information

*8 Improvement from the previous years has not been corrected in terms of the production volume

Economical Effects of Environmental Protection Measures*9 -Substantial Effect-

(Unit: million yen)
Effect (for one year) Benefit
FY2014 FY2015
Cost reduction By saving energy 142 202
By saving resources 174 285
By treating waste on-site 288 534
Total 604 1,021

*9 The economical effects of energy saving and resource saving compared to the previous year

Consolidated Accounting

(Unit: million yen)
Investments Expenses Benefit
FY2014 FY2015 FY2014 FY2015 FY2014 FY2015
JSR 565 412 6,080 6,961 604 1,021
Total of 14 Group companies 130 557 2,242 2,315 494 435
Total 695 969 8,322 9,276 1,098 1,456

Development of New Environmental Protection Technologies

Amount of Capital Investment

Amount of Capital Investment

JSR makes continuous investments in the environment and safety. Investments made in FY2015 reached 2.3 billion yen. This consisted of investments in plant and facilities aimed at various environmental improvements such as energy-saving equipment, and safety improvements such as full-scale anti-seismic measures. JSR will continue to make ambitious investments to maintain and improve the environmental, safety, and health aspects of operations in accordance with its medium-term capital investment plan.

Main Areas of Environmental & Safety Capital Investment (Year in parentheses is investment year)

  • Large-scale, natural gas-fired turbine cogeneration system (FY2010)
  • Full-scale anti-seismic measures for facilities (FY1996-2015)
  • Ground flare installation (FY2000, FY2008)
  • Renovation of sludge dehydrator and upgrading efficiency (FY2001)
  • Facilities to reduce hazardous atmospheric pollutants (FY1999-2008)
    (Dichloromethane solvent recovery facilities, 1,3-Butadiene treatment facility, incinerators for dry synthetic rubber dry exhaust, etc.)
  • Augmented comprehensive facilities to treat wastewater (FY2006, FY2008)
  • Sludge dryer system (FY2013)

Development of New Environmental Protection Technologies

JSR, led by its Process Development Center, is actively engaged in the development of new technologies to promote environmental protection. The following are recent themes in technological development approached by JSR. We deploy technologies as they are developed.

Main Areas of Environmental & Safety Technology Development

  • 1. Development of Energy-saving Processes

    • Computer-assisted optimization of heat recovery (pinch technology)
    • Computer-assisted optimization of energy use in control systems
    • Energy-saving through changes in heat recovery and solvent types across multiple plants
  • 2. Other Technologies to Reduce Environmental Impact

    • Development of solution polymerization manufacturing facilities and a new solvent recovery process (to reduce hydrocarbon emissions into the atmosphere)
    • Development of synthetic rubber manufacturing facilities and dry exhaust systems (to reduce odors near plants and hydrocarbon emissions into the atmosphere)
    • Development of polymerization technologies to combat total nitrogen emissions (measures to prevent eutrophication of ocean waters)
    • Development of environmental technology through more effective use of microbes (to reduce odors near plants and to improve the quality of wastewater)
    • Incineration technology for dry synthetic rubber dry exhaust (measures for harmful atmospheric pollutants)
    • Installation of a sludge dryer system (to reduce CO2 emissions and promote effective utilization of waste)

Improving the Local Environment

Dried-synthetic rubber waste incinerator (Kashima Plant)

Dried-synthetic rubber waste incinerator (Kashima Plant)

JSR values the opinions of local residents and considers high transparency of plant operations to be the key to improving the local environment. With this in mind, we have strived to improve the local environment by implementing monitoring and tours of environmental equipment at regular intervals. In FY2007 and 2008, we installed equipment to incinerate dry synthetic rubber dry exhaust (RTO*10) at the Yokkaichi, Kashima, and Chiba plants to prevent foul odors. In FY2009, a ground flare was installed at the Yokkaichi Plant to prevent noise and flashes, and as a result there were no environmental complaints from FY2009 to FY2015. We will continue to strive to maintain our basic policy of improving the local environment.

*10 RTO (Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer): A device that combusts VOCs and breaks them down into water and CO2 to make emissions clear

Trends in Number of Environmental Complaints

Trends in Number of Environmental Complaints
Ground flare (Yokkaichi Plant)

Ground flare (Yokkaichi Plant)

List of Major Environmental and Safety Awards

JSR was recognized for its leadership on the environment and safety with the following awards.

1995 Chiba Plant Minister of Labor Award for Excellence (in the safety category)
1995 Kashima Plant Minister of Labor Award for Effort (in the safety category)
1999 Chiba Plant Japan Chemical Industry Association (JCIA) Safety Award
2002 Chiba Plant Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Award for Effort (in the health category)
2003 Yokkaichi Plant Chubu Bureau of Economy, Trade, and Industry Award for Excellent Energy Management Plant (Thermal Sector)
2006 Tsukuba Research Laboratories Director-General, Fire Defense Agency Fire Defense Award
2007 Yokkaichi Plant Japan Responsible Care Council (JRCC) Responsible Care Award
2010 Chiba Plant Japan Chemical Industry Association (JCIA) Award for Safety Excellence
2012 Yokkaichi Plant Japan Chemical Industry Association (JCIA) Most Excellence Award for Safety
2013 Chiba Plant Japan Chemical Industry Association Responsible Care Award
2013 JSR Optic Tsukuba Co., Ltd. Director-General, Fire Defense Agency Fire Defense Award
2013 JSR Micro Kyushu Co., Ltd. Director-General, Fire Defense Agency Fire Defense Award
2013 JAPAN COLORING CO., LTD. Chubu Bureau of Economy, Trade, and Industry Award for Excellent Energy Management Plant