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Initiatives to Prevent Pollution

One of Sojitz’s Key Sustainability Issues is to contribute to the global environment through our businesses, which includes minimizing our environmental burden. Under Sojitz’s Environmental Policy (“3. Minimize environmental burden” and “5. Consider the environment in new businesses”), we aim to reduce the burden on the environment and prevent pollution.

When conducting business across industries, confirming anti-pollution measures is an essential item on the checklist for ensuring Sojitz Group’s sustainability, and requires close attention. Sojitz Group is involved in a number of anti-pollution initiatives based on our Group policies. We will introduce some of these anti-pollution initiatives here.

Chemicals Management

= Initiatives in the Chemical Business =
As a company involved in the chemicals business, Sojitz has created a detailed procedural manual to provide guidelines for handling chemical substances, in order to avoid oversights by divisions involved in the business. According to these documents, Sojitz must (1) comply with relevant laws and regulations for each type of chemical substance, (2) prevent accidents by promoting safety management, and (3) observe rules for business activities to be environmentally-friendly, confirm the specify the laws that pertain to the business, and handle hazardous chemicals as stipulated by the manual.

Our management system for chemical substances and established emergency response procedures help to prevent accidents, as well as minimize the damages in the event an accident occurs.

 

New Investment Projects

= Checking for possible soil and groundwater pollution =
As part of the deliberation process for new investment projects, every department that submits a proposal is required to fill out our “Environmental and Social Risk Checklist.” Under this checklist, the department making the application must confirm the environmental risk section of the checklist, and carry out the necessary due diligence for the possibility of soil and groundwater pollution and water contamination, in addition to confirming there have been no oversights in the process.

 

 

 

ISO14001 Monitoring

= Confirming Compliance with Laws and Regulations =
We confirm that all Sojitz departments and relevant Group companies comply with the laws and regulations related to chemical substances and anti-pollution measures, such as RoHS regulations, REACH regulations, and industrial waste laws. Sojitz’s president serves as the chair of the Sustainability Committee, which confirms issues such as whether Sojitz is in compliance with these anti-pollution laws and regulations, and carries out management reviews to provide corrective instruction.

Pollution Incident Response Planning

= Initial Reporting Process (IPPOU) =
We believe that when a risk incident occurs such as environmental contamination, it is crucial that all decision-making and responses be expedited from the moment the incident occurs until the time the issue is resolved. The Sojitz Group employs the initial reporting process (IPPOU) in which those on-site can report to management without delay at the first sign of a problem, which allows management to make the necessary decisions more quickly to contain the possibility of greater risks. Under this reporting system, management (Sojitz’s Board of Directors, including the president) is notified directly.

In the event such as a serious pollution incident, Sojitz’s initial reporting process (IPPOU) enables those on-site to report directly to the president and the management, which allows management to respond quickly and minimize the spread of damages.

Sojitz Group’s Core Initiatives

= Past Examples of Soil Restoration =
In 2016, an incident occurred in which a chemical plant owned by a Sojitz subsidiary had to be dismantled, and soil in the area restored. In this case, Sojitz took the following measures to decontaminate the area and to confirm decontamination.
・Sojitz drafted a soil contamination report and action plan, carrying out soil restoration work after consulting with government authorities.
・Contaminated soil was treated as industrial waste and disposed of in accordance with waste management laws.
・Following restoration work, a third party organization conducted a survey on groundwater quality to confirm no contaminants remained.
・The action plan was then submitted as a report to the appropriate authorities.

 

= Initiatives at NI Chemical Corporation =
NI Chemical Corporation is a Sojitz Group subsidiary involved in the chemical and oil tank leasing business. The company also stores toxic and hazardous materials, including the raw materials for thinners. We will here introduce NI Chemical’s anti-pollution measures and environmental initiatives.

 

 

1) VOC Measures
Volatile organic compounds (VOC) impact the level of photochemical oxidants (*1), and NI Chemical makes use of a device to collect VOC to reduce emissions into the atmosphere.

VOC collected: FY2017 (15 tons), FY2016 (12 tons), FY2015 (10 tons)

(*1) Photochemical oxidant is the general term given to substances created by a photochemical reaction that occurs when VOC or other compounds are hit by ultraviolet rays from the sun. If the concentration of photochemical oxidants rises, it can result in photochemical smog, or white, mist-like air that can cause irritation to the eyes or throat and other health hazards.

2) Management of Hazardous Waste
When cleaning tanks, hazardous waste is at times present, including certain chemicals that are highly flammable. Hazardous waste is stored in a specific storage area that follows all waste regulations pertaining to storage and management.

NI Chemical has established a quantitative target to reduce hazardous waste to less than 50 tons a year. In FY2017, NI Chemical adopted new tank cleaning methods, and achieved its goal to reduce the occurrence of residues that would require cleaning by adopting various measures.

 

3) Installation of Oil Fences
NI Chemical transfers chemical raw materials owned by its customers from tanker ships to tanks on open water. In the unlikely event of a chemical spill, NI Chemical has an oil fence installed on-site to prevent sea pollution.

NI Chemical has also established a joint organization to prevent maritime disasters, and in the unlikely event of an accident will make use of the oil boom extender.

NI Chemical has no record of ocean pollution or pollution incidents to date.

 

4) Establishment of a joint maritime disaster prevention organization with Neighboring Companies
Disaster drills are held regularly.

Partnering with neighboring companies, NI Chemical has established a joint maritime disaster prevention organization, which regularly holds joint drills that include flood control and other practices to strengthen its disaster prevention capabilities.

This joint organization owns two fire engines and has three people stationed on duty at all times throughout the year.

 

5) ISO9001 and CDI-T Inspections
In order to maintain quality control, safety standards, and efficient handling of chemical products, NI Chemical obtained ISO9001: 2015 certification, and undergoes CDI-T inspections (*2).

*2 The CDI-T inspection is a terminal scheme safety inspection performed by the Chemical Distribution Institute (CDI). Chemical manufacturers around the world are members of the CDI organization.

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