Reducing Emissions of Chemicals into the Environment
Targets and Achievements of Major Approaches
| Objective/Task | FY 2011 Goals | FY 2011 Results | Evaluation | FY 2012 Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emission control of chemical substances PRTR 1st-designated chemicals （462） + Substances targeted for study by JCIA *1 （105） + 1 substance group |
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- *1Japan Chemical Industry Association: One of the Japan’s major industry organizations, JCIA is a member of the ICCA and pursues the healthy development of the chemical industry with other organizations around the world.
Chemicals DIC Aims to Reduce
Atmospheric Emissions of Substances Checked （567 substances including PRTR-designated substances and 1 substance group）
Changes in Atmospheric Emissions （VOCs） of Substances Checked （567 substances including PRTR-designated substances and 1 substance group）
Chemical corporations are expected to pay due considerations to prevent emissions of chemicals into the environment in their business operations, since they deal with various chemicals in large quantities when compared with those in other industries.
Beginning in FYs 2000 and 2005 for DIC and domestic affiliates, respectively, the DIC Group has been working to reduce emissions into the air, water, and soil of substances designated by the PRTR Law*1 and substances designated for voluntary study by the Japan Chemical Industry Association （JCIA）.
Specification of Substances to Reduce Emissions into the Environment, and DIC Activity to Reduce
Substances targeted for study in FY 2011 according to PRTR Law revisions are 462 PRTR class 1 designated chemical substances + 105 substances targeted for study by the Japan Chemical Industry Association （excluding class 1 designated chemical substances） and 1 substance group （chain hydrocarbons with 4 to 8 carbons）. The number of substances that DIC and domestic DIC Group companies either used or produced more than one ton of in FY 2011 were 115 and 140, respectively. Domestic DIC Group company was able to meet the target in FY 2011, by repairing VOC combustion devices, and we will be continuing to reduce chemical substances emissions.
Substances Checked （567 Substances and 1 Substance Group）：Substances with Emissions Exceeding 10 Tons
| Chemical name | DIC | DIC Group （domestic） |
|---|---|---|
| Volume emitted | Volume emitted | |
| Ethyl acetate | 88 | 180 |
| Methyl ethyl ketone | 53 | 124 |
| Toluene | 63 | 74 |
| Propyl alcohol | 7 | 12 |
| Styrene | 13 | 6 |
| Xylene | 9 | 3 |
| Acetone | 17 | 3 |
| Normal hexane | 10 | 0 |
| N,N-Dimethylformamide | 15 | 0 |
| Others | 22 | 403 |
| Total | 296 | 806 |
TOPICS DIC’s Kashima Plant installs anaerobic wastewater treatment system
Anaerobic wastewater treatment system, BIOIMPACT®, installed in Kashima Plant
DIC’s Kashima Plant is promoting efforts to increase its wastewater treatment capacity and conserve energy.
With the aim of enlarging its wastewater treatment facilities, DIC’s Kashima Plant recently installed a BIOIMPACT® expanded granular sludge blanket （ESGB） anaerobic wastewater treatment system.
This system is manufactured by Sumitomo Heavy Industries Environment Co., Ltd.
Conventional chemical wastewater treatment systems are aerobic, i.e., require oxygen. In aerobic wastewater treatment systems, activated sludge* is used to break down organic matter in wastewater into CO2 and water. In contrast, the BIOIMPACT® system uses ESGB, a newly commercialized anaerobic process whereby wastewater is flowed into a tank containing a dense blanket of sludge granules （aggregates of anaerobic microorganisms）, which rapidly break down organic matter into methane and CO2. This innovative system, which also facilitates the reuse of methane produced for plant operation, is attracting considerable attention for its various performance features, which include superb efficiency and minimal space and energy requirements.
The Kashima Plant expects the new system to reduce its annual emissions of CO2 by 720 tons, as well as to significantly lower its operating costs.
