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Environmental
Management
Sustainability Report 2006 |
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Environmentally Friendly Manufacturing (4)
Reduction of Environmental Burdens |
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Based on the analysis results of various environmental
burdens, Kobe Steel has been reducing a wide variety of burdens by
improving production processes to more effectively protect the environment;
introducing state-of-the-art equipment and refurbishing facilities;
and thoroughly implementing self-management. Kobe Steel, including
its group companies, is further striving to reduce its impact on the
environment by improving its production processes and enhancing the
capabilities of pollution control equipment.
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| Air Pollution Prevention |
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Activities at works and plants |
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SOx (sulfur oxide) emission generated in production
processes is controlled through energy conservation, desulfurization
and other means, as well as implementing waste gas measures. At the
steelworks, the volume of waste emissions has gone down through the
use of low-sulfur iron ore, the adoption of city gas, and the desulfurization
of coke oven gas and boiler waste gas. With respect to NOx (nitrogen
oxide), Kobe Steel promotes emission reduction by adopting low NOx
burners and low NOx combustion technologies, introducing NOx removal
equipment, and implementing energy-saving measures to reduce the emission
volume.
In the future, renovation and remodeling of facilities is planned
as a countermeasure to air pollution. We are also working to prevent
any deviation from emission standards through continuous recording
of environmental data and tighter control of operations.
Despite efforts to prevent dust scattering through the use of remote-controlled
water spraying at the raw materials yard and by the sealing of equipment,
complaints about dust from residents living close to the works remain
at the same level. We therefore regard dust control as a serious and
urgent issue, and we are taking more drastic measures, such as installing
dust-control netting, building confining walls round recycling zones,
sealing belt conveyors and incineration ash storage areas, and boosting
the capacity of dust collecting and water spraying equipment. |
SOx Emissions (parent
company only)
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NOx Emissions (parent
company only)
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Data for fiscal years 1990, 1995 and 2000
include emissions from Kakogawa and Kobe works. |
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SOx and NOx emissions from fiscal 2001
to 2005 were recalculated due to the discovery that air emissions
had exceeded the statutory limit, data had been inappropriately handled,
and other problems. Compared to total emissions, SOx had increased
a maximum of 1.3% and NOx had increased a maximum of 1.3%. |
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TOPICS
Measures Taken at Overseas Plants |
The PRO-TEC Coating Company in Ohio, which
manufactures coated steel sheet, has installed NOx removal equipment
to reduce nitrogen oxide in the emission gases released by the
annealing furnaces. In this way we have cut the annual output
of nitrogen oxide by about 100 tons. The method used is called
Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), which breaks down the nitrogen
oxide with the use of ammonia. |
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NOx removal equipment at plant |
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Environmental Activities in Group Companies |
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Shinko Kobe Power Inc. has a generation capacity
of 1.4 million kilowatts of electricity after the second power plant
started operation in April 2004. It is an urban power station that
coexists in harmony with the community. On this theme, tough environmental
conservation measures are taken -- including water quality conservation,
noise, vibration, and offensive odor prevention, measures against
wastes, and environmental harmony -- by installing cutting-edge environmental
analysis equipment and optimizing the environmental management system
through ISO14001. For these environmental measures, about one third
of the total construction cost of the power station (about 200 billion
yen) was allocated.
Furthermore, part of the existing facilities in Kobe Works, such as
the raw materials yard and sintering plant, were shut down, while
the fuel for steelmaking facilities was changed from heavy oil to
city gas. These comprehensive environmental measures by Kobe Works
have made it possible to keep the impact on the surrounding environment
to a minimum. |
| Shinko Kobe Power Inc. |
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Continuous enclosed coalunloader By enclosing theunloader,
dust is prevented from scattering. |
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Coal silo and enclosed belt conveyor
Twelve silos that can store 30,000 tons of coal per silo are installed.
By enclosed the belt conveyor, the coal is completely enclosed from quay
to boiler. |
| State-of-the-art exhaust treatment equipment |
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Electric dust collector |
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Exhaust denitration equipment
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Exhaust desulfurizer |
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| Water Pollution Prevention |
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Kobe Steel
reduces the water consumption rate by improving production processes and
using recycled water, and at the same time, cleans wastewater by an optimum
wastewater treatment system and reduces the impact of water polluting substances
such as COD (chemical oxygen demand) and SS (suspended solids) in public
water bodies.
Kobe Steel uses the water treatment system best suited to the properties
of the discharged water from production processes. Other measures are also
undertaken to improve water quality.
For example, a water recycling system used at the steelworks purifies waste
water from the various production processes and other effluent through a
treatment system that combines coagulating sedimentation, sand filtration,
membrane treatment, and biological treatment, for reuse on site. At the
Kakogawa Works about 97% of the water is recycled.
At the Welding Company's Saijo Plant, supplementary water for cooling the
production line is recirculated. By improving the water route, the quantity
of supplementary water was reduced by half.
Also, Shinko Kobe Power Inc. discharges wastewater after thorough cleaning
at a comprehensive water treatment plant that provides not only coagulating
sedimentation, filtration and neutralization, but also advanced wastewater
treatments such as denitrification and COD absorption. Shinko Kobe Power
also uses an eco-friendly water-intake/discharge system. |
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Wastewater Reduction
Efforts at Kakogawa Works
Activated sludge treatment facility
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Kobe
Special Tube Co. Ltd.:
Reduction of nitrogen emissions |
At Kobe Special Tube, we have been using a mixture
of nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid for pickling stainless steel
tubes. The nitric acid creates nitrogen, of which the total emissions
are under regulation. We therefore studied replacing the nitric acid
and hydrofluoric acid mixture with a pickling liquid based on sulfuric
acid and hydrofluoric acid. Tests confirmed that there was no compromise
in product quality. From fiscal 2005 it has been used for intermediate
pickling.
This has enabled us to reduce the quantity of nitric acid used by
more than 10 metric tons per month. We will continue efforts to reduce
consumption of nitric acid at other facilities. |
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Surface of tubes after sulfuric acid/hydrofluoric
acid treatment |
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| Noise Reduction |
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Kobe Steel carries
out surveys on how plant noise affects the neighboring areas and reduces
the noise of the equipment based on the survey data.
In addition, Kobe Steel is implementing a wide variety of noise reduction
measures by installing noise-generating equipment such as fans, compressors
and crushers within buildings and by installing soundproof walls and
vibration proof pads to shield and absorb noise. |
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Sound suppressing equipment for exhaust stack
Sound suppressing cover for compressor |
| Odor Reduction |
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Odors generated at works and plants are treated
using deodorizing equipment. Odor monitoring is implemented at regular
intervals and necessary measures are taken accordingly. |
| Soil Contamination |
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We are working to stop soil contamination through
strict observance of regulations, including the Soil Contamination
Countermeasures Law, and through proper management of hazardous substances
at plants. A study is carried out when selling land where former plants
were situated. For example, in March 1996 the land of the former Amagasaki
Steel Works was sold to Hyogo Prefecture. However, in keeping up with
current laws, a soil study was subsequently carried out last year
and additional steps were taken to stop the spread of contamination. |
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