Management of Chemical Substances at Factories

In fiscal 2007, from among the substances covered by the Rank Guidelines, we selected 368 substances that have a substantial impact on the environment (substances that have a large amount of release/transfer and that cause air pollution and/or global warming) as key reduction-target substances. We then promoted the reduction of these substances to achieve our global target of reducing their release/transfer by 10% from the fiscal 2006 levels by fiscal 2011. As a result, in fiscal 2010 we were able to achieve a 43.2% reduction and attain the target for fiscal 2011 earlier than planned. Moreover, in fiscal 2011, we achieved a 46.3% reduction. Because fiscal 2011 was the base year for the next reduction measures to be taken, we also made efforts to ensure collection of accurate data concerning the substances covered by the guidelines.

(1) Ten groups of substances recording the highest levels of release/transfer in the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register survey (Japan, fiscal 2003)
Ten groups of substances recording the highest levels of release/transfer in the chemical substance survey (fiscal 2005) by Panasonic
(2) Twenty groups of VOCs recording the highest levels of release in a survey by the electrical and electronics industry
(3) Five groups of substances specified by the Japanese Law Concerning the Promotion of the Measures to Cope with Global Warming

• Note: SANYO Electric and PLD not included in fiscal 2006 and 2008 through 2010.Only PLD included in fiscal 2011.

In response to international trends towards the stricter management of chemical substances, we will enhance measures to minimize the release of particularly hazardous substances into the environment in fiscal 2012 onwards. Based on the Chemical Substances Management Rank Guidelines for factories, we had assessed hazardousness mainly focusing on carcinogenicity, but in fiscal 2010 the guidelines were revised (to Ver. 4) and we expanded the assessment scope to include various hazards to human health and the environment. Moreover, we classified chemical substances based on their hazardousness and created a unique indicator “impact on human health and the environment”^* by specifying a “hazardousness factor” for each substance.

We will implement measures to prioritize reducing the release of particularly hazardous substances using the new indicator. Based on the data collected in fiscal 2011, we aim to reduce their release by 2.5% by fiscal 2012, 5% by fiscal 2013, and eventually 15% by fiscal 2019.

• * Impact on human health and the environment = Hazardousness factor x Release/transfer amount

Governing laws and regulations (Japan):
-Regulations on the management of chemical substances (PRTR Act, etc.)
-Regulations on environmental conservation (environmental criteria under the Basic Environment Act, etc.)
-Regulations on occupational health and safety (Industrial Safety and Health Act)
-International treaties (Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, etc.)
Hazards to be included in the assessment target
-Hazards to human health:
Carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, reproductive toxicity, and acute toxicity
-Hazards to the environment:
Substances that might cause ecological toxicity, ozone layer depletion, global warming, or generate photochemical oxidants