Environment

Reducing Waste and Recycling Resources

• Cutting Industrial Waste Sent to Final Landfill
• Proper Disposal of Industrial Waste
• 3R Initiatives

To make effective use of limited resources, Kaneka seeks to reduce and recycle industrial waste from our operations through the 3Rs (*1). We have been able to achieve zero emissions (*2) for 15 consecutive years. We are also working toward all Group companies in Japan being able to achieve zero emissions.

*1 3Rs refers to reduce, reuse and recycle.

*2 Zero emission definition by Kaneka: The final landfill waste must be less than 0.5% of the generated waste.

Reducing Industrial Waste Sent to Final Landfill

In fiscal 2021, the Kaneka Group generated 98,495 tons of waste, a decrease of 6,527 from the previous fiscal year. The main reason for this was a lower volume of soot and dust generated achieved by curbing the amount of coal used at night and reducing the amount of coal ash.
In fiscal 2021, we effectively achieved zero emissions, with a final landfill volume for all parent manufacturing sites of 34.5 tons, equivalent to a final landfill rate of 0.053%. For 47 Group companies in Japan, final landfill volume was down by 134 tons, resulting in a final landfill rate of 1.9%. As a result, the final landfill rate for Kaneka and Group companies in Japan was 0.43%, effectively achieving zero emissions. The final landfill volume of overseas Group companies was 5,110 tons, a decrease of 1,191 tons from the previous fiscal year. This was due to recycling and a shift to incineration.
The Kaneka Group recycled 55,407 tons of waste, a decrease of 5,730 tons from the previous year. Kaneka’s waste generation was down in line with a reduction in coal ash. However, due to the lower volume of waste recycled, the recycling rate of waste for the Kaneka Group was 56.3%.

Waste Generated

Volume and Rate of Waste Sent to Final Landfill

Waste Recycled

Waste Flow: From Generation to Landfill (Fiscal 2021 results at Kaneka)

Waste at Kaneka

Proper Disposal of Industrial Waste

In fiscal 2021, while considering the effect of COVID-19, we visited waste disposal subcontractors that allowed on-site visits and conducted surveys based on a checklist.

3R Initiatives

We are taking actions across the company to reduce waste, recognizing that this ties into the maintaining and improving the natural environment in terms of saving resources, cutting costs, and reducing CO₂ emissions, among other benefits.
Kaneka and Group companies in Japan are pursuing activities to reduce waste and recycle materials, mainly through a 3R approach at our various production facilities. We also facilitate continuous improvement activities through process analysis at Group companies in Japan using Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA).