Effective Use of Water
To contribute to the effective utilization of water resources, Hitachi Construction Machinery group is working to reduce and reuse/recycle the water usage (including fresh water) which accompanies business activity. Also, we continue appropriate maintenance and management of waste-water resulting from operations with the goal of preventing water contamination.
Hitachi Construction Machinery Group aims to reduce water by water-saving measures such as the promotion of increasing the lifespan of the water used in painting facilities and expansion of the use of recycled water in production bases. We are also working to reduce water use at use at non-production bases by measures such as using rainwater in water storage tanks and etc..
With respect to environmental management, our system is centered around Sustainability Promotion Division, which comprehensively manages and promotes environment, social and governance matters for the entire Group as well as discloses information as appropriate. The Sustainability Promotion Committee, which meets biannually, is comprised of members including the president and executive officers. It carries out deliberations and approvals on ESG matters related to management decisions, including our response to climate change and water use reduction.
| Types of water | Water intake volume (km³) | Criterion, Method, Prerequisite, Other |
| Tap water | 471 | Measured values |
| Industrial water | 127 | Measured values |
| Underground water | 667 | Measured values, calculated values |
| Other | 0 |
Total Range: All Domestic and Overseas Production/Non-production Bases for Consolidation
The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group considers protecting the water bodies that receive the effluents from factories is an important issue.
In order to prevent water contamination, we have put in place independent standard values even more stringent than the pollution prevention agreement values set by national and local governments, and in addition to daily water quality inspections, we have installed automated measuring devices which can be regularly monitored, implemented a strict management structure, and maintain and manage the quality of waste water from operations.
We strictly control water discharged through wastewater treatment systems, and install biological treatment depending on wastewater quality.
We regularly monitor BOD and COD emissions complying with pollution prevention agreement values set by each national and local government.
| FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2019 | |
| BOD Emission | 6.2 t | 3.9 t | 4.7 t |
| COD Emission | 6.6 t | 5.7 t | 8.6 t |
Total Range: Main Domestic and Overseas Production Bases for Consolidation
| Waste water destination types | Waste water volume (km³) | Water quality (incl. processing method) | Criterion, Method, Prerequisite, Other |
| Rivers | 340 | Compliance with the legal drainage criteria of each country/local government, water purification at waste water processing plants. | Measured values, calculated values |
| Sewers | 572 | Compliance with the legal sewage criteria of each country/local government | Measured values, calculated values |
| Underground infiltration | 258 | Calculated values | |
| Waste composition | 0.3 | Calculated values | |
| Evaporation, etc. | 1.7 | Calculated values | |
| Other | 0 |
Total Range: All Domestic and Overseas Production/Non-production Bases for Consolidation
Response to Water Risks
In order to identify regions where there is a high-water stress level during business activities, the HCM Group uses the AQUEDUCT tool released by the World Resources Institute to quantify the water stress level at all their production facilities both domestic and international, and identify regions of high water stress.
| Company | General Waster Risk |
| Hitachi Construction Machinery Tsuchiura Works | Medium to High Risk (2-3) |
| Hitachi Construction Machinery Kasumigaura Works | Medium to High Risk (2-3) |
| Hitachi Construction Machinery Hitachinaka Works | Low to Medium Risk (1-2) |
| Hitachi Construction Machinery Hitachinaka-Rinko Works | Low to Medium Risk (1-2) |
| Hitachi Construction Machinery Bansyu Works | Medium to High Risk (2-3) |
| Hitachi Construction Machinery Ryugasaki Works | Medium to High Risk (2-3) |
| Hitachi Construction Machinery Tierra | Low to Medium Risk (1-2) |
| Hitachi Construction Machinery Camino | Medium to High Risk (2-3) |
| Hitachi Sumitomo Heavy Industries Construction Crane | Medium to High Risk (2-3) |
| Tadakiko | Medium to High Risk (2-3) |
| Niigata Material | Low to Medium Risk (1-2) |
| Shin Tohoku Metal | Low to Medium Risk (1-2) |
| Hitachi Construction Machinery (China) | Low to Medium Risk (1-2) |
| Hefei Rijian Shearing | Low to Medium Risk (1-2) |
| Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Private Limited | High Risk (3-4) |
| PT Hitachi Construction Machinery Indonesia | High Risk (3-4) |
| Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) N.V. | Low to Medium Risk (1-2) |
| Hitachi Construction Truck Manufacturing Ltd. | Low to Medium Risk (1-2) |
Since 2014, Hefei Rijian Shearing Co., LTD in China has identified the leakage points of the underground pipe network, and repaired the leakage points of underground pipes. Through these efforts, water consumption in FY2020 was reduced by 75% compared to FY2014.
Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery in India has been making effective use of water resources by using water ponds and a rainwater system. Water to the plant operations is taken from the ground (bore water). Rain water harvesting system is in place ,this water is diverted to water storage reservoirs and is utilized for day to day activities. Water system needs to balance the water consumption and water charging to ground as to ensure maintaining ground water level. Hence they created water ponds to store rain water and as well charge the ground water.
Bradken in New Zealand installed two 10,000 litre poly tanks to capture roof water during rainfall for use in the hot steel quench tank. This reduced the consumption of potable town water which was previously used in the quenching process of hot casting.
Ongoing Initiatives
In order to recycle water, we will directly support leakage measures and recycle rate improvements with a focus on companies with especially high levels of water usage.
