CSR activities in FY2019
Management and Reduction of Environmentally Hazardous Substances
Reducing PRTR chemical substances
We are making efforts to reduce the use of substances subject to PRTR Law in our manufacturing processes in Japan and replace them with less hazardous substances. In particular, we are focusing on reducing and replacing the use of the six substances listed in the figure below.
Reducing environmentally hazardous substances
NTN-Bower Hamilton(U.S.A.)
Reduction of hazardous waste through liquid waste treatment equipment
NTN-BOWER Hamilton Plant strictly stored hazardous waste liquid from the zinc phosphate coating treatment process and outsourced the disposal of the liquid as a hazardous material to a waste disposal contractor. Recently, Hamilton Plant developed the equipment that immediately neutralizes hazardous waste generated in the plant into safe materials. This equipment reduces the generation of hazardous waste by approximately 36 tons/year and improves the safety of employees when waste liquid is stored and transported.
■Developed hazardous liquid waste treatment equipment
NTN-SNR(France)
Improvement of wastewater quality by introducing wastewater treatment plants
The NTN-SNR (France) Seynod plant meets the wastewater quality standards required by local wastewater treatment facilities. One of them is the hexavalent chromium content regulation, which is stricter than the Japanese wastewater standard. The Seynod plant has significantly reduced the content of hexavalent chromium in wastewater by operating a wastewater treatment plant with advanced filtering functions. The device is also capable of removing harmful impurities such as hydrocarbons, thus meeting all the water quality standards required for wastewater. The NTN Group makes necessary capital investments globally in order to comply with environmental laws and regulations set by national and local governments.
| waste water quality standards | Analysis results after equipment introduction | |
|---|---|---|
| Hexavalent chromium content(mg/L) | 0.1 | 0.03 |
| Hydrocarbon content(mg/L) | 5 | 0.06 |
Filter press (sludge solidification)
Filter system
Compliance with the Act on Rational Use and Proper Management of Fluorocarbons(Japan)
The NTN Group companies in Japan control and record the leak amount of CFCs and HCFCs used in air-conditioning equipment to respond to climate changes. In the fiscal year ended March 2020, the leak volume of CFCs and HCFCs was 2,118 tons as CO2e. We will continue to strictly control and reduce the leak volume of CFCs and HCFCs.
Proper PCB waste disposal(Japan)
Our group companies in Japan properly manages and disposes of PCB waste in accordance with Act on Special Measures concerning Promotion of Proper Treatment of PCB Wastes. In the fiscal year ended March 2020, we discarded 20,341 kg of transformers and 278 kg of fluorescent ballasts at our business sites in Japan. We will work on strict control of the target equipment in the workplace and disposal of all the target equipment within the disposal deadline.