Water is an essential resource for living beings. Globally, freshwater, in particular, is an extremely valuable resources. Since water resources are being affected by natural disasters caused by abnormal weather events resulting from climate change, we recognize that our mission as a manufacturer of chemical products is to conserve and preserve water resources.

JSR Group uses such water resources for drinking water, of course, but also as a raw material, cleaning solution, in treatment facilities for chemicals, and coolant in its manufacturing processes. Therefore, we strive to recycle water in our processes. At the same time, we purify and check the quality of the water when discharging it outside of our plants. In this way, we work to conserve water resources through appropriate management and treatment.

Depending on the quality of wastewater, JSR Group removes solids, separates oil-water, and conducts chemical treatment (neutralization, etc.). Furthermore, by performing biological treatment (decomposition of organic matter using microorganisms, etc.) as necessary, we treat water pollutants such as organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus contained in wastewater, and monitor the amount of water discharged. As a result, we manage wastewater at a level well below the legal standard value and strive to conserve water resources.

• Environmental load (COD discharges, total nitrogen emissions, total phosphorus emissions) → JSR Group ESG Data
• Initiatives to Prevent Pollution: 1. Protection of Atmospheric, Water and Soil Environments >(2) Protection of Water Quality and Environments

In FY2023, JSR Group consumed 3,692,000 m³ of water (down 3% year on year) and discharged 3,679,000 m³ of wastewater in total (down 1% year on year).

We will continue to strive to appropriately manage increasingly important water resources in the future.

JSR Group uses the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas of the World Resources Institute (WRI) as a tool to assess water risks. In FY2022, we conducted "water stress" assessments of our production bases in and outside of Japan from now up to 2040 and identified areas with high water stress, making progress with assessing the current state of overall water risks.
In FY2023, we expanded the scope to include all domestic and overseas sites and conducted another water stress and overall water risk assessment from the present to 2040.
We are taking measures to reduce the respective risks at our bases with relatively high water risks, including conducting further detailed studies.

JSR Micro N.V., based in Belgium, uses a large amount of water in production processes, especially in its life science division. Until 2022, this process wastewater was treated as industrial waste off-site.
After constructing a process wastewater treatment facility on-site in 2023, this off-site industrial waste treatment is no longer necessary, avoiding the risk of leakage and/or contamination during transportation for off-site treatment.
Furthermore, by adding a water purification system to this treatment facility, the company will be possible to reuse purified water on-site, reducing the amount of tap water required for production.
Over the next few years, the company aims to make 70% of process wastewater reusable water on-site.

By promoting the recycling of limited and precious water resources, we will continue working to reduce water resource usage, industrial waste generation, and CO2 emissions during transportation.

• Reference: P. 11 of JSR Micro N.V. Sustainability Report 2023 (PDF: 10.0 MB)