Measures against Environmental Risks

In the latter half of the 1980s, soil and groundwater contamination due to chlorinated organic solvents was detected at some of Panasonic’s sites. In response, we have conducted anti-contamination activities across the company. In fiscal 2003 we began enhancing our surveys and measures to comply with relevant laws and regulations, including the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act, which was enforced in Japan in 2003, and in fiscal 2004 started implementing measures to place all our bases across the globe under Panasonic’s management supervision with regard to soil and groundwater.

Specifically, we conduct onsite inspections and interviews at the bases, in addition to surveying their use of VOCs and heavy metals. Furthermore, we implement surface soil surveys within the premises. For the sites where contamination was detected beyond the regulatory pollution standards, we conduct detailed borehole surveys to identify the boundaries of the contaminated areas and take remedial measures.

As a result of these efforts, we were able to place all our manufacturing and non-manufacturing sites in Japan under Panasonic’s management supervision with regard to this issue in fiscal 2004, and also those outside Japan in fiscal 2006. Subsequently, Panasonic Electric Works and PanaHome joined our Group and in fiscal 2009 we again placed all our bases under management supervision. In fiscal 2011, the management supervision scheme was purpose-specifically reorganized and reinforced to establish a new management supervision scheme. With the highest priority given to preventing dispersion of pollution beyond our premises, this new scheme is implemented across all operating sites including SANYO Electric to further improve the risk management skills.