Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers(PRTR) (58KB)

Production Activities
Controlling Chemical Substances
22
Setting Voluntary Standards for Controlling Chemical Substances
In 1996 TDK established and put into practice
standards for controlling chemical substances. In
accordance with regulatory trends and the relative
potential for harm, TDK’s standards divide chemical
substances into three categories: prohibited
substances, restricted substances, and controlled
substances.
TDK revises the substances addressed by these
standards when appropriate, subject to the
enactment and revision of legal controls. In 1998 we
established more specific classifications for
substances within the categories of prohibited
substances and restricted substances, respectively, in
light of risks associated with disclosure and concerns
over environmental protection. This is reflected in the
selection of chemical substances subject to
investigation when included in products to be
procured under green purchasing policies, and is
also reflected in the items evaluated in product
assessments.
As part of its effort to control chemical
substances, TDK initiated a Chemicals Search System
in December 1998. The system, to which every
employee has access, is contributing to the
establishment of a uniform company-wide system for
the control of chemical substances.
When the use of prohibited substances cannot be
avoided, as in research and development activities,
TDK’s Safety and Environment Office conducts a
strict investigation. Even when the office approves
the use of such a substance, approval must be
renewed annually and is linked not only to the
improvement of controls in the workplace but also to
advancing the development and introduction of
substitute technologies and substances.
As a result of these efforts, TDK abolished the use
of trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene in
manufacturing processes in August 1998. We will
continue to improve our controls in the future,
eschewing the use of extremely harmful chemical
substances.
Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR)
Since 1998, TDK has voluntarily participated in a
survey on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers
(PRTR) conducted under the auspices of the
Federation of Economic Organizations. We have held
company-wide explanatory sessions and taken other
steps to make doubly sure we will be in compliance
with Japan’s Pollutant Release and Transfer
Registers Law, which have taken effect in April 2001.
Figures on the respective amounts of air, water, and
soil emissions containing substances addressed by
the PRTR Law, along shown the quantities of
constituent waste substances, are shown in the table
below.
We are committed to the goal of reducing the
overall volume of our emissions of chemical
substances by 20%, relative to 1997 levels, by fiscal
2005. In fiscal 2000, we have already achieved
reduction of 9.0%.
Amount
handled
Chemicals Search System
Fiscal 1997
Fiscal 1999
28
28
(as of April 2001)
Supervised Grasping purchase
purchasing volume
Product
Grasping the substance
supervision contents of products
Green Purchasing
Product
assessment
Pinpointing suitable
Storage
supervision storage methods
Observance of law
Operation
control
Pinpointing suitable
usage methods
Observance of law
Waste disposal Pinpointing suitable
waste disposal methods
control
Observance of law
Implementing
chemical
substances
assessments
28
Amount
discharged *2 Waste
Amount
Recycled handled
Amount
discharged *2 Waste
Recycled
380.2
371.6
1376.2
1393.2
434.4
177.7
700.1
1307.1
460.9
466.0
8.2
0.0
0.3
0.0
21.3
0.0
0.4
0.2
108.6
0.0
30.4
0.0
Methylene chloride
838.2
674.5
111.1
52.6
1027.8
831.5
104.7
91.6
979.5
688.0
208.7
82.8
Nickel compounds
693.3
0.0
37.1
0.0
674.4
0.0
59.3
6.9
771.6
2.6
70.8
32.6
60.4
0.0
6.5
0.0
58.7
0.0
6.0
0.0
1.3
0.0
1.3
0.0
281.9
0.1
17.1
51.6
231.5
0.0
39.2
24.2
154.6
0.0
29.8
13.0
Trichloroethylene
80.0
60.0
20.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Xylene
70.0
24.0
34.0
0.0
64.9
21.5
15.9
8.4
157.9
54.5
74.5
28.9
Cobalt and cobalt compounds
61.8
0.0
4.1
0.0
243.9
0.0
8.6
202.1
302.1
0.0
3.2
191.4
Silver and water-soluble silver compounds
28.6
0.0
0.6
0.0
15.1
0.0
0.0
3.8
23.3
0.0
0.3
3.5
Chromium and trivalent chromium compounds
53.3
0.0
0.0
9.8
30.3
0.0
9.0
0.0
27.0
0.0
0.6
1.2
Tetrachloroethylene
13.0
10.0
3.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Diglycidyter of bisphenol A *1
-
-
-
-
55.0
0.0
4.0
0.0
59.3
0.0
12.2
0.0
Manganese and manganese compounds
4282.5
0.0
0.5
0.0
5003.6
0.0
27.1
145.3
3903.4
0.0
16.2
205.4
Vanadium pentoxide
4.7
0.0
0.0
0.1
4.7
0.0
0.0
0.1
2.9
0.0
0.6
0.1
Boron and boron compounds
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
23.0
0.0
0.1
2.6
25.4
0.3
0.9
6.8
Dimethylformamide
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.5
0.8
0.7
0.0
2.4
1.2
0.0
1.2
Di-amino ethanol *1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
5.0
0.9
3.3
0.0
Ethylene glycol *1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
13.3
9.1
4.2
0.0
Hydrazine *1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1.0
0.0
1.0
0.0
Di-n-butyl phthalate *1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
5.9
4.0
1.9
0.0
n-butyl phthalate = benzyl *1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
39.3
26.8
12.5
0.0
Water-soluble zinc compounds *1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
49.3
0.0
0.0
0.0
8827.3
1372.3
605.9
1490.3
8848.8
1288.2
452.7
1185.2
7940.2
1248.3
938.4
947.1
Lead and lead compounds
Controlled substances: Substances that do not fall into
the above categories
Amount
Recycled handled
603.7
Water-soluble copper salts (other than complex salts)
Classification of harmful substances
Substances that are not to be
Prohibited substances: used in either processes or
products (156 substances)
Encouraging reduction in usage
Restricted substances: volume or shift to less harmful
substances (827 substances)
Amount
discharged *2 Waste
Fiscal 2000
2351.5
Toluene
Barium and water-soluble barium compounds
Chemical substances
control standard
TDK uses methylene chloride in the cleansing of
parts. It has been pointed out that methylene chloride
is a harmful substance capable of damaging the
human central nervous system. For this reason, TDK
set a goal of completely eliminating methylene
chloride emissions by March 2001 and has promoted
a transition to a substitute cleansing agents and the
elimination of detergents. In fiscal 2000 the use of
methylene chloride was eliminated at another six
plants, but this has not been achieved at the
remaining nine plants, due to outstanding problems
with product quality. In the future every effort will be
made to eliminate the use of methylene chloride at
these plants as well, enabling TDK to completely
eliminate the use of methylene chloride by
September 2001.
Amounts of chemical substances covered by the PRTR law handled in TDK (Unit: tons)
Number of locations
Outline chart of chemical substances control system
23
Working toward the Complete
Elimination of Methylene Chloride
Making Doubly Sure of Compliance with PRTR
Total
63.6%
93.9%
74.7%
79.5%
90.0%
91.0% 154.9%
Compared to fiscal 1997 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.2%
Notes: · Surveys were conducted at the production and R&D bases of TDK and its domestic consolidated affiliates. The scope of chemical
substances subject to the surveys was in accordance with the PRTR Law.
· Volumes handled and emissions volumes were calculated by making reference to the PRTR Guidelines for Electrical and Electronic
Industries, with calculations carried out from activities under the Environmental Management System.
*1: TDK began totaling figures for diglycidyter of bisphenol A as well as di-amino ethanol in fiscal 1999.
*2: Total including air, water, and soil emissions