Management of Chemical Substances
Production
Hitachi Construction Machinery Group is promoting the prohibition and reduction of the use of chemical substances in product use and production activities. For chemical substances where reduction proves difficult, we are striving to restrict emissions and prevent pollution of the atmosphere, waterways, and soil. HCM Group is committed to global environmental preservation through advanced safety reviews of new chemicals and management of chemicals and waste water.
Most of the emissions that we release are volatile organic compounds (VOC) contained in paint, solvents, etc. We have set VOC emission reduction targets, and are steadily replacing these with substances containing less VOC’s in order to reduce the emission of such substances.
In FY 2021, We carried out initiatives including the use of electrodeposition coating in domestic and international bases, conversion to high solid coating and other paints with low VOCs, improving coating efficiency by robotization, introducing VOC recovery equipment, and others.
In 2019 and 2020, the rate of VOC atmospheric emissions decreased significantly due to the decrease in production caused by the COVID-19 spread, however in 2021, it increased by about 40% compared to FY2020. The rate of VOC atmospheric emissions reduced by about 3% compared to 2018 before COVID-19 pandemic.
| SOx, NOx and other serious atmospheric emissions | ||
| Type | Emissions into the atmosphere | Relevant regulations |
| SOx | 3,253 Nm³ | Air Pollution Prevention Act |
| NOx | 9,359 Nm³ | Air Pollution Prevention Act |
| POPs | 0 | Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants |
| VOC | 814 t | Air Pollution Prevention Act |
| HAP | 369 kg | Air Pollution Prevention Act |
Substances prohibited by HCM, including asbestos
Treatment of chemical substances contained in material procurement
The HCM Group is systematically working to eliminate harmful substances that affect on human health and the environment, based on laws relating to regulations on the inspection and manufacture etc. of chemical substances (Type-1 Special Chemical Substances), REACH regulations, residual organic pollutants, the Stockholm Treaty (POPs), the Order for the Enforcement of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. List of component prohibition substances is regularly updated in line with international regulations and applies to all our operations such as sourcing of goods, product development, production processes, products, packaging materials and service activities.
“Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts and PFOA-related substances”, which were newly banned in May 2019, have been added to the prohibited substances.
| Chemical substance (group) | Relevant main law | |
| 1 | Tri-substituted organostannic compounds ・Tributyltin Compounds (TBTs) |
Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc (Designated Chemical Substances of the First Kind) |
| Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) | ||
| 2 | Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) | Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc (Designated Chemical Substances of the First Kind) |
| Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) | ||
| 3 | Polychlorinated terphenyl (PCT) | Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) |
| 4 | Polychlorinated naphthalene (2 or more chlorine atoms) | Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc (Designated Chemical Substances of the First Kind) |
| 5 | Short chain chlorinated paraffin | Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) |
| Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) | ||
| 6 | Asbestos | Order for Enforcement of Industrial Safety and Health Act (Japan) |
| Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) | ||
| 7 | Ozone-Depleting Substances (Class I) | Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer |
| 8 | PFOS/PFOS related compounds | Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc (Designated Chemical Substances of the First Kind) |
| Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) | ||
| 9 | 2-(2H-1,2,3-benzotriazole-2-yl) -4,6-the-tert-butyl phenol | Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc (Designated Chemical Substances of the First Kind) |
| 10 | Hexachlorobenzene | Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc (Designated Chemical Substances of the First Kind) |
| 11 | Dimethylfumarate (DMF) | Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) |
| 12 | Hexabromocyclododecane(HBCD or HBCDD) | Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants（POPs） |
| Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) | ||
| Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc (Designated Chemical Substances of the First Kind) | ||
| 13 | Decabromodiphenylether(DBDE) | Because, in addition to prohibition substances of RoHS, it became the deliberation substance which is targeted for the prohibition of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants（POPs) |
| 14 | Perfluorooctanoic acid, its salts and PFOA-related substances | Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants（POPs） |
*Refer to the link below for details of substances and substance groups
List of component prohibition substances of the delivery materials (PDF 477 KBytes)PCB Waste Management
Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) is said to cause societal problems with its effects on the human body and its pollution of the environment.
Transformers, condensers, and fluorescent light stabilizers which use PCB are appropriately stored/managed and shipped according to laws relating to waste processing and cleaning, and the Act on Special Measures Concerning the Correct Processing of PCB Waste Material (the PCB Special Measures Act). We are proceeding appropriate treatment according to our plan.
Prevention of Air, Water, and Land Pollution etc.
Air pollution via substances such as SOx and NOx is one cause of asthma and acid rain. Furthermore, COD is an indicator which shows organic contamination in lakes/oceans (contamination level), and BOD is an indicator which shows organic contamination in rivers (contamination level).
The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group has established voluntary standards that are stricter than the legal standards of each country and municipality, and is working to prevent air and water pollution so that measures can be taken before legal standards are exceeded.
In terms of soil contamination, our standard is to conduct a soil survey prior to any new land acquisition and to purchase land in consideration of the risk of soil contamination and its impact on the project. We manage the use of appropriate chemical substances, facilities where chemical substances are used, and storage facilities by implementing measures to prevent leakage or periodic inspections of chemical substances to prevent their seepage into the soil.
