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Reducing Hazardous Substances

Environmental Management Sustainability Report 2007 1. Environmentally Friendly Manufacturing (3) Reducing Hazardous Substances We are implementing tight controls, reducing use of a range of chemical substances, or substituting them with safer alternatives. Uncompromising Control Toward Reduction Kobe Steel set up the Kobe Steel Group Policy on Controlling Hazardous Substances and strives for thorough control of chemical substances. For example, we use the Control Sheet for Designated Chemical Substances in all the offices throughout the company. With this Sheet, usage and management methods are defined for each chemical substance, and the transferred amount and released amount reported in accordance with the PRTR Law can be calculated accurately. The Control Sheet also enables that the content required to be reported under the PRTR Law is abided, and is used for controlling the amount of consumption and emissions of the substances. Group companies are being urged to adopt this Sheet for chemical substance control. In the total values reported in fiscal 2006 in compliance with the PRTR Law, Kobe Steel handled 34 substances, released 259 metric tons, and transferred 140 metric tons in total. As for group companies, 32 substances were handled, 796 metric tons were released, and 552 metric tons were transferred. *PRTR Law: Pollutant Release and Transfer Register Law (Law concerning Reporting, etc. of Releases to the Environment of Specific Chemical Substances and Promoting Improvements in their Management) Examples of Reduction Efforts The Moka Plant of the Aluminum and Copper Company, which manufactures aluminum sheet for can stock, is working to reduce output of hazardous substances. It removes 99.5% of the volatile organic solvent (VOC) released from ovens used in the painting process through combustion in an incinerator. At the Welding Company, efforts have been directed toward replacing colorants that are used to identify different welding materials, because they contain heavy metals. In one case, the paint used for coating welding electrode ends has been replaced with water-based paint to reduce the amount of paint-related hazardous substances used. At the Ibaraki Plant, use of hazardous substances has been reduced by recycling the solid lubricating agent for flux-cored wire. Incinerator Control of PCBs In accordance with government regulations on the proper handling of wastes containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), equipment such as transformers and condensers that contain PCBs are placed in special storage for proper control when no longer used, with notification made to government authorities. Group companies are registered with Japan Environmental Safety Corporation (JESCO), a body that manages disposal of PCBs. Proper disposal will in future be based on formulated disposal plans. At the Chiba Works of Sun Aluminium, it was suspected that ballasts containing PCB were used in the fluorescent lighting that was installed when the facility was first built. A full inspection revealed 37 ballasts with small traces of PCB and these were removed. The replacement of the old fluorescent lighting has also had the effect of saving energy. The ballasts removed have been properly stored for appropriate disposal. Protection of the ozone layer At Kobe Steel all chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that were once used for cleaning purposes were disposed of at the end of fiscal 1994. Measures to Control Dioxins Generation of dioxins from waste incinerators is limited by thorough maintenance of facilities and proper operating control of combustion temperature. Proper operating control and maintenance is undertaken of sintering furnaces, aluminum alloy manufacturing facilities, electric furnaces for steelmaking, and wet exhaust gas scrubbers and their wastewater. Through these measures, any unintentional generation of dioxins that occurs during manufacturing processes is kept well within regulatory limits. Asbestos Appropriate replacement of asbestos is proceeding in accordance with the lndustrial Safety and Health Law and guidelines on waste disposal from the Ministry of the Environment. All emergency renovations to buildings to eliminate asbestos that can circulate in the air have been completed. Sprayed and pasted materials, which might release asbestos into the air, are currently the subject of a program of countermeasures. Building materials as well as facilities and equipment that contain asbestos of the type that does not circulate in the air are also now being removed or replaced. Appropriate handling and disposal of asbestos, including keeping logs and labeling is in progress at all locations. Hazardous Substance Control: Annual Transfers and Releases of PRTR-Controlled Substances (FY2006) (kg; mg-TEQ for dioxins) Goverment ordinance No. Substance Kobe Steel Group companies Release Transfer Number of locations Release Transfer Number of locations 1 Water-soluble salts of zinc 4,900 0 2 580 24,000 2 16 2-aminoethanol 0 0 1 - - - 30 Bisphenol-A epoxy resin (liquid) - - - 0 7,500 4 40 Ethylbenzene 3,300 220 3 53,000 1,600 6 43 Ethylene glycol - - - 50,000 190 2 44 Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether 140 41 1 - - - 59 p-octyl phenol - - - 0 1 1 63 Xylene 85,000 3,500 8 400,000 3,400 14 64 Silver and silver compounds - - - 0 100 2 66 Glutaraldehyde 0 0 1 - - - 68 Chrome and trivalent chrome compounds 120 39,000 5 450 96,000 9 69 Hexavalent chrome compounds 0 4 2 0 0 1 99 Vanadium pentoxide 10 910 1 - - - 100 Cobalt and cobalt compounds 0 0 1 0 4 2 101 Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate 200 59 1 3,700 0 1 108 Inorganic cyanide compounds (except complex salt and cyanic acid) - - - 0 1,600 2 132 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoromethane 7,200 0 1 - - - 145 Methylene chloride 73,000 980 2 21,000 430 5 177 Styrene - - - 1,200 11 2 179 Dioxins 2,400 200 5 390 530 2 198 Hexamethylenetetramine 0 0 1 0 48 2 200 Tetrachloroethylene - - - 24,000 5,600 2 202 Tetrahydromethyl phthalic anhydride - - - 0 7,000 1 207 Water-soluble salts of copper 460 0 1 0 1 1 211 Trichloroethylene - - - 22,000 5,600 3 224 1, 3, 5-trimethylbenzene 2,700 3,100 3 4,900 360 3 227 Toluene 46,000 1,300 4 180,000 5,100 12 230 Lead and lead compounds 8 86 1 15 9,400 6 231 Nickel 4 1,500 4 2 970 6 232 Nickel compounds 14 3,300 3 160 10,000 2 253 Hydrazine 1,400 0 2 0 0 1 266 Phenol 0 2,300 1 9,800 65 2 283 Hydrogen fluoride and its water-soluble salts 24,000 6,000 4 15,000 270,000 6 299 Benzene 7 0 1 8,100 0 1 304 Boron and boron compounds 2,200 340 3 4 320 3 307 Poly (oxyethylene) alkyl ether 4,000 25 1 - - - 308 Poly (oxyethylene) oktylphenyl ether 17 1,700 1 - - - 309 Polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether 390 2,500 3 - - - 310 Formaldehyde 0 0 1 - - - 311 Manganese and manganese compounds 1,800 54,000 7 2,900 92,000 9 345 Mercaptoacetic acid 0 0 1 - - - 346 Molybdenum and molybdenum compounds 1,600 19,000 4 520 8,000 6 353 Phosphoric acid tris (dimethylphenyl) 0 0 2 - - -