Pollution Prevention and Resource Recycling
Basic Approach
The management of hazardous chemicals, waste, and wastewater must be reliably handled in accordance with laws and regulations. The Daifuku Group is working to reduce the burden on the global environment, including local communities, through initiatives to prevent environmental pollution and reduce the use of water and other resources. The Daifuku Environmental Vision 2050 (revised in May 2023) establishes the promotion of resource recycling as one of our critical issue areas, and we are working to extend the service life of our products, minimize the amount of waste generated at our production sites, and increase recycling of used products and parts.
Green procurement
We believe that it is our mission to manufacture environmentally friendly products as we expand our business globally. Under the commitment that we will not buy, use, or sell any hazardous materials, we formulated our Green Procurement Guidelines in November 2005 to eliminate certain hazardous chemical substances and prioritize the purchase of materials and products that are resource- and energy-saving and reusable.
Major Initiatives
Resource saving
We are committed to reducing defective products from our manufacturing processes, reducing packaging materials, and conserving water at our production sites and offices.
Waste generated (Japan) *Including valuable waste
Waste recycling rate (Japan) *Including valuable waste
Water consumption (Japan)
Water consumption (Non-Japan)
Ensuring appropriate waste disposal
Waste generated by business activities is processed in accordance with laws and regulations. When waste processing is outsourced to a subcontractor, Daifuku carefully chooses the best outsourcing companies and visits their facilities annually to ensure that waste is handled properly.
Pollutant reduction
Management of chemicals
Paints and organic solvents are the primary chemical substances used by Daifuku in its production facilities. The Company manages and controls the usage amounts of special chemical substances as designated under the PRTR (Pollutant Release and Transfer Register) Law.*
- *A law that requires enterprises to submit a report to their national governing authority specifying the number and volume of chemical substances they are releasing into the environment. This is aimed at voluntary management of chemical substances and the prevention of environmental pollution.
Emission and transfer volume of chemical substances related to PRTR Law
Shiga Works
| FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emission and transfer (kg) | 23,765 | 18,531 | 16,880 | 20,542 |
Amount of PRTR-related chemical substances handled in FY2021
Shiga Works
(kg)
| Control No. | Chemicals | Transaction Volume | Emission to | Transfer to | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air | Public water | Soil | Land | Total emissions | Sewage | Misc | Total transfer | |||
| 37 | Bisphenol A | 1,247.40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24.95 | 24.95 |
| 53 | Ethylbenzene | 5,014.59 | 5,014.59 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5,014.59 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 80 | Xylene | 6,219.47 | 6,219.47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,219.47 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 296 | 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene | 589.10 | 589.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 589.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 297 | 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene | 222.09 | 222.09 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 222.09 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 300 | Toluene | 8,059.42 | 8,059.42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8,059.42 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Note:Chemical substances of which less than 100 kg is handled are omitted as the amounts are negligible.
Compliance with European harmful substance regulations
The entire Daifuku Group focuses on the European REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals) regulations,* and goes to great lengths to visualize and remove any harmful chemicals in its products. The Company continues to offer environmentally friendly products through implementation of Green Procurement Guidelines by looking at its entire supply chain.
- *Companies must register and evaluate the safety of chemical substances contained in the products they manufacture and sell in Europe.
Air pollution prevention
Based on Shiga Prefecture's Ordinance 25, Clause 1; Concerning the Reduction of Impact on the Air Environment of Shiga Prefecture, Shiga Works requested and was awarded the designation of a place of business working to reduce its environmental impact on the air. We are striving to control and reduce smoke-related air pollutants.
Result of air pollutant measurements in FY2021
Shiga Works (according to the Hino environmental pollution control agreement)
| Material | Facility | Regulation value | Results | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max | Min | Avg | |||
| Dust (g/m3N) | Dynamos | 0.1 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.006 |
| Sulfur oxide (SOx) (m3N/h) | Dynamos | 2.31 | 0.060 | 0.050 | 0.057 |
| Nitrogen oxide (NOx) (ppm) | Dynamos | 950 | 920 | 750 | 825 |
Preventing water pollution
Shiga Works, which accounts for approximately 80% of Daifuku’s water consumption in Japan, maintains a 24-hour continuous monitoring system with three wastewater treatment facilities. The facilities ensure water quality is on par with agricultural water by thoroughly complying with drainage standards established by the Shiga Prefecture Ordinance and Pollution Control Agreement with the town of Hino. In addition, we invite local residents to visit our wastewater treatment facilities and see our thorough water quality management systems, which facilitates good relationships with them.
We recognize that water pollution is an important issue that deeply impacts soil, agricultural produce, living environments, and more. We do not simply comply with laws and regulations, but make meticulous efforts to manage and reduce wastewater.
Result of final effluent quality measurements in FY2021
Shiga Works (in accordance with the Water Pollution Prevention Act, prefectural ordinances, and the Hino pollution control agreement)
| Measurement item | Regulation value | Results | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max | Min | Avg | ||
| Amount of drainage (m3/day) | - | 443.3 | 73 | 307.7 |
| pH | 6.0～8.5 | 7.4 | 6.7 | 7.1 |
| SS (mg/ℓ) | 20 or less | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| COD (mg/ℓ) | 20 or less | 2.4 | 0.3 | 0.7 |
| BOD (mg/ℓ) | 20 or less | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 |
| Total phosphorus (mg/ℓ) | 1 or less | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Total nitrogen (mg/ℓ) | 10 or less | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
- Note:The average value is the weighted average.
Effluent treatment facilities
Effluent before (left) and after (right) treatment
Recycling sludge into cement materials
At Shiga Works' wastewater treatment facility, it is necessary to treat the sludge produced from the treatment process to maintain stable water treatment. The sludge withdrawn from the facility is treated and is turned into dried sludge with 20% water content. This has led to a large reduction in excess sludge as well as a reduction in waste treatment cost. Furthermore, dried sludge is put to good use as a raw material for cement.
Sludge recycling facility
Dried sludge
Resource recyclingKPI
We offer a large-scale material handling system consisting of many parts and materials. Our Daifuku Environmental Vision 2050 aims to circulate resources not only when waste is generated from business activities but also when equipment delivered to customers is removed. For the latter, we will continue to review our product's materials and improve their ease of disassembly.
In addition, we have positioned improving system lifespan as an important initiative, and will enhance after-sales services such as system maintenance.
Daifuku Environmental Vision 2050
| Scope | FY2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| Recycling rate of waste | Global | 99% |
| Recyclability rate for new products | Global | 86% |