Asahi Glass | Proper Management of Chemical Substances

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Proper Management of Chemical Substances

Proper Management of Chemical Substances
PRTR Data

With regard to chemical substances emitted from manufacturing activities, the Japanese government started to regulate suspended particulate matters (SPM) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), which could cause photochemical oxidant formation. The regulation was intended to reduce total emissions of these substances by 30% (of which 20% should be reduced through voluntary measures taken by companies) from the fiscal 2000 level by fiscal 2010. Asahi Glass initially set a target of reducing the emissions of these substances by 40% from the fiscal 2001 level by fiscal 2010 but subsequently increased it to 50%. In fiscal 2009, we attained the goal by achieving a 52% reduction (a 65% reduction from the fiscal 2000 level), a year earlier than planned.
As for chemical substances contained in our products, we made the first registration to be completed by November 2010 under the EU's REACH regulation on chemical substances. In Japan, we participate in the Joint Article Management Promotion-consortium (JAMP) and provide information for the formulation of Article Information Sheets (AIS) and MSDS-plus. At the same time, we have registered with the Japan HPV Challenge Program as a sponsor, which is a program jointly implemented by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of the Environment.

Emissions and Transfer of Substances Regulated by the PRTR Act and VOC Emissions

Emissions and Transfer of Substances Regulated by the PRTR Act and VOC Emissions

*1 As a result of recalculation, the data differs from those indicated in the same figure in the CSR Report 2010.

Following the Chemical Substance Management Manual to Ensure Safety and Prevent Environmental Pollution

The Chemicals Company established and follows the Chemical Substance Management Manual to ensure that chemical substances are being properly managed. The purpose of the manual is to promote compliance with the Law concerning the Examination and Regulation for Manufacture etc. of Chemical Substances and the Industrial Safety and Health Law with respect to chemical substances handled at plants and facilities, including divisions managed by the Head Office, under control of the Chemicals Company; prevent harm to employees' health by exposure to chemical substances, ranging from product development to disposal, by stipulating management requirements; ensure customer safety; and prevent environmental pollution.
Provisions of the manual apply to all chemical substances related to products delivered to third parties, including samples sent to customers, and cover raw materials, auxiliary materials, products, in-process products, byproducts and any other state. Associated with the revision to the Industrial Safety and Health Law in 2005, methods of determining the risks and toxicity of chemical substances (risk assessment) were clearly established.
In addition, we started using material safety data sheets (MSDS) in 1992 under a scheme in which relevant information, such as proper ways of handling products during the use and disposal stages and any associated environmental impact, is disclosed to our customers. As of March 2011, the Chemicals Company has issued 2,028 kinds of MSDS's in Japanese and 1,761 kinds in other languages. Furthermore, the MSDS's in Japanese complies with globally-harmonized system(GHS).

Safety Consideration in the Transport of Chemical Substances

Yellow cards used by Asahi Glass

Asahi Glass has put in place the "yellow card" system, which describes emergency procedures to be taken according to the type of chemical substance or characteristics of the product involved should an accident occur during transport. Yellow cards are available by product and type of substance; there are currently 116 variants as of March 2011. The yellow card system for container which instructions on a label has also been implemented. In addition, Asahi Glass is committed to providing education on this topic and holds workshops for people involved in transport.

Topic
Providing Trainees from the OPCW with Training for the Management of Chemical Substances and the Reduction of Environmental Impacts (Japan)

Training held at the Asahi Glass Chiba Plant

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) provides training for governmental officials of fast-growing and developing countries at its headquarters in The Hague in the Netherlands, the chemical plants of the parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention and other sites. The training is provided with a view to improving implementation of the provisions of the Convention in fast-growing and developing countries.
In September 2010, the AGC Chemicals Company received a trainee each from India and Laos and provided them with one and half weeks' training for the management of chemical substances and the reduction of environmental impacts. At the Asahi Glass Chiba and Kashima Plants, the trainees were taught how to operate an environmental management system, how to conserve energy, and how to manage chemical substances such as VOCs and ozone depleting substances, and examined the related problems and solutions. After the end of the training, the trainee from Laos commented, "I was deeply impressed with the consciousness of the AGC Group's "Look Beyond" vision and want local companies in my country engaged in mining, textile and sewing, and other industries to manage their business in line with similar corporate visions."

Voluntarily Implementing a Soil Remediation Project (Thailand)

AGC Chemicals (Thailand) (ACTH), which manufactures and sells caustic soda, hydrochloric acid, and other products, completed a soil remediation project for an industrial waste landfill site located in the vicinity of its Phrapradaeng Plant in June 2009. This landfill had been used for burying and storing waste from the mercury electrolysis process for the manufacture of caustic soda after decontaminating the waste. At present, ACTH is adopting the ion exchange membrane method that does not use mercury, and so ACTH decided to remove and dispose all the buried waste and implement the soil remediation. In addition, ACTH implemented a renovation project for the building of which the company donated to a neighborhood school 25 years ago. These voluntary activities to improve the environment and contribute to society have been highly valued by the Thai government as showing an "exemplary corporate stance."

ACTH members given a letter of appreciation from the Thai government

Handing a renovation list to the school

Asahi Glass Becomes the First Japanese Company to Support the bluesign Standard

Fabric processed with Asahi Guard

The bluesign standard is an industry standard used in the textile and clothing field designed to encourage the provision of superior products in terms of environment, health, and safety (EHS) throughout the overall supply chain.

Asahi Glass has become the first Japanese company to be certified as a supporter of the bluesign standard, receiving high evaluations for its environmental consideration in its manufacturing process, commitment to safety at workplaces, quality assurance, and various other matters.

We currently have bluesign certification for some of our Asahi Guard fluorinated water/oil repellents, including the Asahi Guard E-SERIES, which do not contain perfl uorooctanoic acid (PFOA).*2 PFOA is found almost everywhere in the environment, including in human blood, although at very low levels. We plan to increase the number of the products certified with the bluesign mark, mainly from the E-SERIES line.

*2 At or above the detection limit

Prevention of Soil and Groundwater Contamination

The AGC Group has its Guideline for Prevention of Soil and Groundwater Contamination. While stating that strict compliance with the applicable laws and regulations is a prerequisite, the Guideline sets the standards for the storage and handling of hazardous substances, storage tank management, and for drainage and rainwater management. The Guideline also sets basic rules about information disclosure with respect to the measures to be taken when soil or groundwater contamination is detected.
Asahi Glass has been continuing the measure to prevent the spread of any pollutants and to decontaminate the polluted sites. We regularly report the progress to the relevant administration agency and disclose the information on our website and through other media.

Asbestos

The AGC Group completed the removal of friable asbestos in fiscal 2008. We are also appropriately managing non-friable asbestos.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

Under Japanese law, all PCBs need to be appropriately disposed by July 2016. Accordingly, Asahi Glass and the AGC Group (Japan) respectively discontinued the use of electric devices that contained PCBs by the end of fiscal 2005 and fiscal 2009. At present, we are storing these devices according to the legislation, entrusting the subsequent treatment to Japan Environmental Safety Corporation. As for the recently disclosed fact that traces of PCBs are still mixed in some electric devices, it has been revealed that the AGC Group (Japan) also has such electric devices and we are now legally dealing with the matter.

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