Supplementary Material for Integrated Report 2019

Appropriate Management of Chemical Substances

The Kobe Steel Group appropriately manages the handling, emission and disposal of chemical substances in accordance with the law.

Compliance with Laws and Regulations, and Reduction of Use and Output

In addition to accurately assessing the use, disposal and transfer of chemical substances covered under the PRTR Law*1 and Chemical Substance Control Law*2, the Kobe Steel Group engages in initiatives to limit the use and output of such substances.

As reported under the PRTR Law, the Kobe Steel Group handled 49 substances, with a total output*3 of 673 tons and total transfer*4 of 599 tons.

Waste electrical equipment containing PCB and equipment using fluorocarbons are stored and managed appropriately in accordance with the PCB Special Measures Law*5 and the Fluorocarbons Emission Control Law*6, respectively.

Kobe Steel Group’s Output and Transfer*7

Kobe Steel Group’s Output and Transfer

  • *1 Law Concerning Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR): Act on Confirmation, etc., of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof

    *2 Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc.

    *3 Amount discharged includes atmospheric and water emissions.

    *4 Amount transferred includes transfers of substances off company grounds and drainage.

    *5 Act on Special Measures concerning Promotion of Proper Treatment of PCB Wastes

    *6 Act on Rational Use and Appropriate Management of Fluorocarbons

    *7 Covers 99% of the environmental impact of the Kobe Steel Group in Japan.

Examples of Initiatives to Reduce Chemical Substance Use and Output

Production facility / company name Location Activities
Kakogawa Works Kakogawa, Hyogo Prefecture Effective utilization through recovery and recycling of chemicals
Fujisawa Plant Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture Reduced VOCs by using water-based product identification paints
Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. (Ogaki Factory) Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture Reduced use of paints by introducing electrostatic spraying

Atmospheric Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Atmospheric Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Over the Past Three Years (incl. group companies in Japan; unit: tons/year)

FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018
614 550 634

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