Resource Recycling and Pollution Prevention

The NTN Group has established a framework to comprehensively promote the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle), which take into consideration the sustainable use of natural resources and the reduction of input resources such as raw materials and water, as well as waste. In addition, we are thoroughly managing chemical substances used in our products and manufacturing processes, and actively promoting the conversion of procured products that contain chemical substances designated to PRTR^＊ law handled into alternative products. We have set annual targets for the intensity of waste generation and recycling rate, as well as amount of chemical substances designated to PRTR law handled, and are promoting efforts to achieve these targets.

＊Act on Confirmation, etc. of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof

Material Balance

■Material Balance of Business Activities (Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2022)

Water Consumption Reduction

In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, we were able to achieve our reduction targets for water consumption intensity at our Japanese sites (24.7% reduction of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011 levels) and our overseas sites (+14.1% of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015 levels). In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, we will continue our efforts to achieve our reduction targets for water consumption intensity at our Japanese sites (25.5% reduction of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011 levels) and our overseas sites (26.4% reduction of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015 levels).

■Water consumption/consumption intensity [Japan and Overseas]

Water Stress (2040 Prediction) and Water Consumption by Region

The NTN Group conducts water stress analysis using AQUEDUCT^＊ for water risk management.

＊AQUEDUCT： A tool released by the World Resources Institute (WRI) that provides free maps and information showing global water risks.

■Water Consumption (Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2022)

Reduction of Waste

Reduce Waste and Maintain High Recycling Rate

In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, we worked to reduce the waste generation intensity and achieved our target (5.8% reduction of fiscal year ended March 31, 2011 levels) for Japanese sites. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, we will strive to further reduce waste generation and achieve the targets of reducing the waste generation intensity at Japanese sites (+0.7% of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011 levels) and the waste recycling rate (97.9% or higher at Japanese sites and 96.9% or higher at Overseas sites).

■Waste generation/recycling rate [Japan and Overseas]

Reduction of Cutting Coolant Waste

NTN Bizen Corp. (Japan) used to dispose of usable cutting coolant at the same time as cleaning the cutting coolant tanks before the end of the coolant’s lifetime. To address this, the cutting coolant was temporarily stored in a storage tank during cleaning and returned to the coolant tank after cleaning. As a result, we were able to reduce the amount of cutting coolant disposed of by 2,800L / year^＊ and the amount of coolant used by 171L / year^＊.

＊Actual results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 (implemented from October 2021)

■Cutting Coolant Storage Tank (NTN Bizen)

Material Recycling of Waste

The NTN Group is working to improve the recycling rate of production by-products generated during production activities. We promote the formation of a recycling-oriented society by selecting collection contractors who can process and recycle waste in-house so that it can be sold as valuable resources.

Sorting of Composite Metal^＊

Engineering Plastic Works (Japan) was notified by a collection contractor that in some cases it would not be possible to accept composite metals for sale as valuable resources if the impurity ratio of the composite metals to be sold was high. Therefore, the composite metals were sorted using magnets to remove impurities, thereby improving the ease of selling them as valuable resources. As the result of implementing methods such as putting actual photographs on containers and posting the sorting destinations, the practice of proper sorting became widespread within the plant, and we were able to improve the recycling of valuable materials by making it easier for collection contractors to recycle them.

＊Composite metals: Resin products containing metals manufactured in-house

Promoting a Recycling Business for Waste Metal in Cooperation with the Shimane Pig Iron and Casting Association

NTN Casting (Japan), with the full support of Shimane Prefecture, is promoting a project to recycle slags through a joint effort between the public and private sectors. We are endeavoring to use testing equipment to verify the characteristic-appropriate treatment of slags, which are currently disposed of in landfills, so as to comply with recycling standards. We are also working to develop new markets for and commercialize the recycled tailings. As a result of these efforts, we expect to recycle nearly 97% of the approximately 930 tons of slags that had been disposed of in landfills (fiscal year ended March 31, 2022). We are considering the introduction of an insoluble agent feeder in the future, and will continue to promote activities aimed at zero emissions.

Solidification of Sludge Generated in the Grinding Process

The NTN Group has developed a grinding sludge solidification system which has not only been installed at NTN Global, but is also sold outside the company. Sludge discharged in the grinding process of metal parts contains a large amount of coolant liquid in addition to metal. The introduction of this equipment has enabled material recycling by separating the coolant liquid and compressing the sludge into a solid material with high metal content. The separated coolant liquid is filtered by the equipment and reused. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, NTN Global had 60 units of the equipment in operation, recycling approximately 4,347 tons of solidified grinding sludge.

■Grinding Sludge Solidification Equipment Results (Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2022)

	Number of units in operation	Recycled weight (tons/year)
Japanese Sites	48	3,721
Overseas Sites	12	626
Totals	60	4,347

■Grinding Sludge Solidifier (Kuwana Works)

Reuse of Production By-Products

The NTN Group does not dispose of coolant and other production by-products as they are, but actively promotes their reuse by improving operations and discussing the possibility of recycling with outside vendors.

Reuse of Oil-Based Coolant

NTN Tado Corp. (Japan) recovers coolant from sludge discharged from the grinding line. Previously, all sludge was disposed of as waste, but with the introduction of sludge solidification equipment, 60,000 liters of coolant are recovered annually, and the solidified sludge is now processed as a valuable resource.

Reduction of Water and Input Materials

The NTN Group is striving to reduce water consumption and to use materials more efficiently, while at the same time promoting thorough understanding and management of risks such as water shortages and resource depletion. We sets reduction targets for water consumption, manages progress toward these targets, and implements measures as necessary. For items that may have a significant impact on our business activities, we predict the impact, consider and implement countermeasures, and continuously manage the situation.

Improved Grinding Coolant life by Improving Oil Skimmer Capacity

NTN-RAB (Changzhou) Corp. (China) has an oil skimmer installed in the "grinding coolant filter tank," which filters the grinding coolant discharged from the grinding machine and returns it to the machine, to remove oil floating on the top of the coolant liquid. However, the structure of the coolant tank's partition plate was not efficient because it did not allow oil to remain on the top surface of the coolant. We have now added a partition plate to the top of the liquid surface to allow the oil to stay there, thereby efficiently removing the oil. This leads to longer coolant life and doubles the coolant replacement cycle. The average amount of undiluted coolant used was reduced from 100L/month to 50L/month, and the average amount of waste coolant disposed was reduced from 6,250L/month to 3,125L/month.

■Filter Tank for Grinding Coolant (NTN-RAB (Changzhou))

Reduction of Soluble Cutting Coolant

NTPT Co., LTD. (Thailand) used to replace all cutting coolant at fixed intervals. At the timing of the total replacement, the coolant was regenerated by a filtration system and returned to the tank to reduce the amount of dilution water and coolant stock solution to be replenished. These efforts resulted in a reduction of 12.3 ㎥/year in water consumption and 0.6 tons/year in undiluted coolant.

Conduct a Regional Water Risk Assessment

The NTN Group has identified areas (sites) exposed to water risk and is working to ensure that water-related management is thorough and incorporated into business plans.

Additional Water Storage Tanks

Xiangyang NTN-Yulon Drivetrain Co., Ltd. (China) has been experiencing water outages several times a year in the areas surrounding its plant, and has responded to this risk by installing additional "water storage tanks. A total of six 2-ton water storage tanks have been installed, with a total capacity of 12 tons of water. In the event of a water outage, the water can be used for drinking, hand washing, and toilets for approximately 8 hours.

■Water Storage Tanks (Xiangyang NTN-Yulon Drivetrain)

Incineration Reduction

To reduce the final disposal volume, the NTN Group is working to improve the recycling rate through incineration (thermal recycling) and material recycling of waste. Since the recycling process generates environmental burdens such as CO₂ emissions from incineration and energy use, we are implementing initiatives to reduce the amount of recycling by reducing the volume of waste and adopting transportation materials that can be used repeatedly.

Reduction of Wood Waste by Changing from Wooden to Plastic Pallets

NTN Mie Corp. (Japan) uses wooden pallets for storing and transporting precision products onsite (on the production line). The wooden pallets were not durable and generated waste wood chips and splinters. In view of tidying up, we are switching to resin pallets which do not generate waste. In the future, we are planning to have the damaged resin pallets collected and recycled by pallet manufacturers for repeated use.

■Resin Pallets Used Onsite (NTN Mie)

Reduction of Packaging Materials

With the aim of reducing the use of disposable plastics in packaging and other materials, the NTN Group is considering alternatives to the use of returnable boxes and simplified packaging after consulting with our customers. We will continue to consider possible substitutions of packaging and other materials while ensuring product quality.

Use of Plant-Based Packaging Materials

Guangzhou NTN (China) is currently switching to environmentally friendly materials for 30% of its plant-based packaging materials. In order to reduce the use of disposable plastics, we are considering what we can do within the plant and have received a proposal from an existing packaging material supplier for sugarcane scraps to be used as cushioning material. We will continue to examine the possibility of adopting this material by the end of 2022.

Reduction in the amount of chemical substances subject to the PRTR system handled

The NTN Group is working to monitor and reduce the use of chemical substances subject to the PRTR Law^＊ among the chemical substances handled in our manufacturing processes in Japan. Of the chemical substances subject to the PRTR Law, we are trying to replace particularly the six substances handled in the greatest amount (see figure) with products that use less hazardous substances.

＊Act on Confirmation, etc. of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof

■Amount of PRTR Chemical Substances Used (Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2022)

Hazardous Waste Management (Japan)

The NTN Group disposes of waste generated at its business sites in accordance with the laws and regulations of each country, and the Japanese group disposes of waste in compliance with the "Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law" (Waste Disposal Law). In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, the volume of specially controlled waste, which is waste that is particularly hazardous, was 559 tons/year.

Compliance with Fluorocarbon Emission Control Law

In accordance with the Fluorocarbon Emission Control Law, the NTN Group in Japan manages the amount of leakage of HFC and the records of inspections and maintenance performed on air conditioning equipment falling under machinery subject to the law. The total leakage of the domestic group as a whole for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, was 1,497 tons-CO₂e (NTN on a non-consolidated basis: 1,347 tons-CO₂e). Going forward, we will strengthen our management system in accordance with the scale of our business sites and promote switching to air conditioning equipment that does not use Fluorocarbon gas including R22 (HCFC-22), which is the main gas subject to the law.

Compliance with the Law Concerning Special Measures against PCB Disposal

In accordance with the PCB Special Measures Law, the NTN Group in Japan is systematically identifying and managing machinery containing PCBs and disposing of such equipment in an appropriate manner. We continue to investigate machinery containing low concentrations of PCBs and are working to dispose of all such machinery within the legal disposal deadline.