Energy-saving, resource-saving, and reduction of the environmental impacts

Biodiversity and Pollutant Countermeasures

Conservation of Biodiversity

15.LIFE ON LAND

The Shin-Etsu Group aims to design environmentally considerate product starting from the product development stage. At the same time, we are also meeting our responsibilities as a chemical company by working actively to ensure the strict control of chemical substances, mitigate global warming, reduce energy consumption, reduce the amount of waste generated, prevent air and water pollution, and make other environmental contributions. We are also engaged in activities such as tree planting at our plant sites in compliance with the Factory Location Act and voluntary river cleaning in areas around our plants. Furthermore, we request our suppliers to implement environmental conservation initiatives in accordance with our CSR procurement guidelines.

The Group preserves the earth's ecosystem through these efforts.

photo: squirrel
photo: pygmy woodpecker
photo: Kirishima azalea
Animals and plants that live and grow in the premises of our factories
(From the left: squirrels, Japanese pigmy woodpeckers, and Kirishima azaleas at the Shin-Etsu Handotai Shirakawa Plant)

Biodiversity Conservation Efforts of Our Pulp Suppliers

We have purchased pulp derived from wood as the main raw material of cellulose derivatives. When purchasing pulp, we ask all our pulp suppliers to consider the conservation of biodiversity, and we have confirmed that they have all obtained national and/or international forest certifications. In addition, we work hard to learn about our pulp suppliers' biodiversity activities.

Participated in a Meeting of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)

In February 2021, the Company participated in a meeting of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) as an associate member. The RSPO is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable growth and use of palm oil by way of cooperation within the supply chain and open dialogue with interested parties. The Company agreed with the purpose and participated in the RSPO, and obtained mass balance certification in March 2023.

Pollutant Countermeasures

15.LIFE ON LAND

Reduction of Chemical Emissions

We strives to prevent health hazards and minimize the environmental impact of chemical substances in the processes of development, manufacturing, distribution, use, consumption and disposal. We appropriately design chemical substances in accordance with laws and regulations, evaluate their safety based on the latest information collected in cooperation with government agencies and affiliated organizations, manufacture our products using optimal facilities, and strive to reduce emissions of chemical substances.
For example, we are taking measures to reduce the amount of chemical substances we use that are released into the environment and transferred through the Chemical Substances Control Law*1 and the PRTR system*2.Furthermore, in order to minimize the impact of chemical substances on workers, we are promoting the reduction of emissions and the use of safer alternatives by improving processes and equipment through the implementation of risk assessments of chemical substances, as mandated by the revised Industrial Safety and Health Act.

With the enforcement of the revised PRTR Law, silicon carbide and other substances have become a Type 1 designated chemical substance and is now subject to reporting from 2023 onwards, which has resulted in a significant increase in the total transferred volume of PRTR controlled substance.

The Group does not use or produce substances that fall under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants*3.

*1PRTR system
Chemical substance release and transfer notification based on the "Act on Confirmation, etc. of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof"

*2PRTR Law
Short for "Act on Confirmation, etc. of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof," it is intended to promote the voluntary control of chemical substances by business operators in order to prevent the risk of damaging the environment.

*3Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
It is a convention that prohibits or restricts the production, use, export, or import of designated substances for the purpose of reducing persistent organic pollutants that would require immediate attention. It is also known as the Stockholm Convention or POPs Convention

PRTR Controlled Substance: Trend of Total Amount Released

graph: Released amount FY2023 179(tons)

PRTR Controlled Substance: Trend of Total Amount Transferred

graph: Transferred amount FY2023 3,473(tons)

PRTR Controlled Substance: Chloromethane Release Trend

graph: Released amount FY2023 32.0(tons)

PRTR Controlled Substance: Chloroethylene Release Trend

graph: Released amount FY2023 13.9(tons)

*The figures are aggregated only for Shin-Etsu Chemical and consolidated companies in Japan.

*The amount of emissions of substances designated by the PRTR system changes depending on the production volume.

Monitoring of Air and Soil

The Group is working to reduce emissions of air pollutants by setting emission reduction targets at each of our Group companies and by converting to the use of fuel components with less sulfur. Each group company carried out regular investigations on their emitted gas to confirm that they comply with laws and regulations.

Groundwater and soil monitoring is carried out at each plant in accordance with the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act, and we make sure that we are in compliance with laws and regulations. In FY2023, the company performed groundwater and soil monitoring 239 times at its plant sites.

FY2023

Target
Reduce emissions of air pollutants in terms of production intensity at an average annual rate of 1%.
Results
The annual average rate from FY2020 to FY2023 is an increase of 11.1% in Soot in terms of intensity, and a reduction of 7.1% in SOx in terms of intensity.
Evaluation
The target was achieved for SOx, not achieved for Soot.

FY2024

Target
Reduce emissions of air pollutants in terms of production intensity at an average annual rate of 1%.

Soot* Emissions Trend

graph: Released amount FY2023 87(tons)

NOx* Emissions Trend

graph: Released amount FY2023 2,244(tons)

SOx* Emissions Trend

graph: Released amount FY2023 441(tons)
  • *Data for soot, NOx, and SOx were recalculated retroactively, including data for some business sites.

Related Data

Aspect Classification Scope Unit FY2021 FY2022 FY2023
Reduction of chemical emissions PRTR Controlled Substance: Trend of Total Amount Released Japan t 183 154 179
PRTR Controlled Substance: Trend of Total Amount Transferred Japan t 1,579 1,485 3,473
PRTR Controlled Substance: Chloromethane Release Trend Japan t 78.3 57.8 32.0
PRTR Controlled Substance: 1,2-Dichloroethane Released Amounts Japan t 15.4 11.2 13.7
PRTR Controlled Substance: Chloroethylene Release Trend Japan t 13.0 13.6 13.9
Prevention of Air Pollution Soot* Consolidated t 54 100 87
NOx* Consolidated t 1,929 1,826 2,244
SOx* Consolidated t 456 446 441
VOC* Shin-Etsu Chemical t 286 280 226
  • *Soot, NOx, SOx, VOC
    Data for soot, NOx, and SOx were recalculated retroactively, including data for some business sites.