Sustainability - Prevention of Pollution and Effective Utilization of Resources
The Meiden Group is working to reduce the environmental impact of all domestic and overseas business activities, as well as conserve energy, promote the 3Rs in relation to waste, and properly manage hazardous chemicals as stipulated in the President’s Environmental Policy. Furthermore, we will establish our own internal standards and work towards preventing environmental contamination while complying with all environmental laws, regulations, and other requirements.
Reduction of single-use plastic packaging
The Meiden Group set a target of 2% reduction (compared to FY2019) as a measure to reduce single-use plastic packaging. Going forward, we will continue to work to reduce plastic usage by promoting the 3Rs for plastic packaging and environmentally considerate design.
As a manufacturer that uses resources to provide our products and services, it is essential that we use those resources effectively.
At the Meiden Group, we practice eco-friendly procurement and work to mitigate the environmental impact of our domestic and overseas business activities and to design products that conserve and reuse resources.
We are working to conduct risk assessment of chemical substances used at production sites, etc., to improve the workplace environment, and reduce or substitute hazardous chemical substances with a substantial risk.
In order to prevent workplace accidents, health impairment, and fire or environmental pollution due to leakage or spillage of chemical substances, we routinely conduct patrols of sites where chemical substances are used to alert workers, and take corrective measures where the management status of chemical substances is found to be inappropriate.
In FY2021, we promoted reuse of solvents through the introduction of solvent collection devices, and replacement with low-VOC solvents, and we released 71.9 tons of VOC. Going forward, we will promote improvement of varnish impregnation processes, substitution with low VOC paint and solvents, etc., and reduction of VOCs released.
In accordance with the Act on Special Measures concerning Promotion of Proper Treatment of PCB Wastes (PCB Special Measures Act), we are gradually disposing of devices that contain PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) such as transformers and condensers that were manufactured in the past and stored for nearly to 40 years.
In FY2022, we disposed of 0.1 tons of waste containing high concentrations of PCBs and treated 335.9 tons of waste containing trace amounts.
Since we began processing PCB waste in FY2007, through FY2022, we have disposed of approximately 105 tons of waste containing high concentrations of PCBs and treated about 734 tons of waste containing trace amounts. In FY2023, we expect to finish the processing of registered waste containing high concentrations of PCBs.
Going forward, we will continue to work to comply with laws and treat PCB waste by the treatment deadline.
Meidensha is working to recycle waste generated at production sites and offices.
In FY2022, we revised our calculation method for recycled quantity, and we worked to improve the precision of calculation by appropriately calculating the amount of waste generated by recycling. The amount of waste increased due to a large amount of waste (debris) being generated by an increase in on-site construction; however, we will work to reduce the amount of waste generated by continuing to promote the 3Rs.
Meiden Chemical Co., Ltd., which is a group company involved with manufacture and sale of electrical insulators has realized the recycling of used epoxy resin molded components as raw materials by using a method of depolymerization under ordinary pressure, which separates the metal from the resin. Epoxy resin molded components are generally disposed of in landfill as they are considered difficult to recycle; however, Meiden Chemical Co., Ltd. has licensed the patented room temperature dissolution method from Showa Denko Materials Co., Ltd. (formerly Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.), which enables it to recycle 95% of existing components, as well as control cost than sending them to landfill. During recycling, we conduct lifecycle assessment (LCA) according to data obtained at the testing plant, which quantitatively assesses environmental impact if recycled and if not recycled.
In addition to insulating molded components, Meiden Chemical Co., Ltd. is working to roll out insulating material products as major flagships with features such as long-life resin for impregnation and environmentally friendly low-odor varnish.
Meiden Chemical Co., Ltd. is currently engaging in research such as extraction of rare metals by dissolving insulating varnish from superconducting coils and recycling of fiber-reinforced plastic to produce resources again.
