The Hodogaya Chemical Group’s business activities may have an impact on the global environment through GHG emissions resulting from energy consumption, water consumption, and chemical emissions into the air, water, and soil.
Therefore, the Hodogaya Chemical Group regards the continuous reduction of all chemical emissions and waste as one of the key responsibilities of chemical manufacturers. We strive to preserve the environment by both reducing the environmental burden arising from our business activities and ensuring the proper management of chemicals.
Based on the “Basic Philosophy of RC,” the Hodogaya Chemical Group obtained ISO 14001 certification for all its domestic offices in 2001.
In 2010, this system was integrated across all domestic group company sites, and as of FY2024, 100% of the group companies in Japan were certified. SFC CO., LTD., an consolidated company, has independently obtained ISO 14001 certification.
In addition, we employ environmental accounting to monitor the costs and effects of our environmental conservation activities and to support environmental management.
| Certification body | Japan Chemical Quality Assurance |
| Registration no. | JCQA‑E‑0330 |
| Compatible standards | JIS Q 14001:2015 ISO 14001:2015 |
| Date of acquisition | December 25, 2001 |
The Hodogaya Chemical Group considers responding to climate change to be a crucial management challenge.
We have been actively promoting initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in order to fulfill our responsibilities toward the realization of a sustainable planet and society as set forth in the VISION of our Mid-term Management Plan.
Most of the GHG emitted by Hodogaya Chemical is CO2.
The GHG emissions for FY2024 are 31,661 t-CO2*1.
We will continue to work on reducing emissions through the introduction of energy-saving equipment and switching to renewable energy sources based on long-term decarbonization investments to reduce energy intensity.
Regarding Scope 3*2, we are currently at the stage of gathering information on other companies’ initiatives.
We will continue to grasp our GHG emissions for each Scope, analyze the results, formulate reduction plans, and strive to reduce GHG emissions according to the plans.
In addition to implementing a summer office attire policy (“Cool Biz”), Hodogaya Chemical introduced a year-round no-necktie policy and, since November 2021, a year-round business casual policy.
At its sites, the company also conducts ongoing initiatives such as “No-Car Day.”
*1 Non-energy-originated CO2 emissions are not included
*2 Scope 3: Other indirect emissions, classified into 15 categories”
*1 Non-energy-originated CO2 emissions are not included
*2 Reduction targets for FY2030 are based on government-announced reduction targets by industry
Hodogaya Chemical is committed to reducing emissions of SOx (sulfur oxides), NOx (nitrogen oxides), and dust associated with chemical production at its plants.
Following the switch to city gas as fuel, which was completed in FY2011, the Company has maintained zero SOx emissions since FY2012.
In addition, the introduction of dust collectors, scrubbing towers, and the use of catalyzers has resulted in a significant reduction in the emissions of NOx and dust.
Prevention of air pollution
In FY2024, Hodogaya Chemical used 9,894 kilotons of water at its plants, 99% of which was drawn from rivers. The use of potable tap water was minimal, and no water was drawn from other sources.
According to an assessment of plant locations using AQUEDUCT, the World Resources Institute’s water risk evaluation tool, none of the Company’s water intake sites were located in areas classified as having high water risk.
We consider the effective use of water resources as the foundation of our sustainable production activities, and we strive to conserve rivers located nearby our factories.
Wastewater generated from the manufacturing process is subjected to advanced treatment at the on-site wastewater treatment facility and is discharged into public waters only after meeting the regulatory standards for water pollutants.
In FY2024, there were no violations related to water usage or water quality, and we will continue to maintain thorough management of our wastewater treatment facilities to reduce environmental risks to oceans and rivers.
Prevention of water pollution
The Hodogaya Chemical Group is promoting the 3R+Renewable initiative for waste materials—Reduce (reduction), Reuse (reuse), Recycle (recycling), and Renewable (utilization of renewable resources).
In our midterm business plan, we set “equal to or less than the previous fiscal year’s waste generation” as a KPI and are working to achieve this target.
However, in FY2024, both total emissions and final disposal volume increased compared to FY2023.
While this was partly due to differences in the production item composition, we take this outcome seriously and will strengthen our efforts to further reduce industrial waste.
Additionally, based on the Act on Promotion of Resource Circulation for Plastics, which came into effect on April 1, 2022, we are working to reduce plastic product waste generated in the course of our business activities.
The amount of such waste generated in FY2024 was 134 tons.
Industrial waste reduction
Based on the Act on Confirmation, etc. of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof (PRTR Act), which is the legal regulation of chemical substances, Hodogaya Chemical manages the release and transfer of PRTR-listed substances that are manufactured or used and reports them to the national authorities.
Hodogaya Chemical manages 25 of the 462 substances designated as Class I Specified Chemical Substances under the PRTR Act.
From the perspective of environmental conservation, we will ascertain the actual status of chemical substance emissions and transfers as waste, while continuing to strive to work to reduce the amounts of such substances released and transferred.
* PRTR：Pollutant Release Transfer Register
FY2024 release amounts and transfer amounts of PRTR listed substances
* Of which 1.17 tons have been sent to the adjacent wastewater treatment facility and released into the public water bodies after being treated.
Since FY2021, the Hodogaya Chemical Group has compiled environmental accounting data in order to identify environmental costs and their effects, and to utilize the information for environmental management.
Of the major expenditures related to environmental conservation in FY2024, one of the major expenditures was resource circulation costs, totaling JPY 150 million.
Manufacturing Department
Nanyo Plant
T.K.
At the Nanyo Plant, we began introducing CO2-free electricity in April 2024 as part of our efforts to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing processes. In parallel, we are actively promoting energy-saving measures, including the introduction of high-efficiency amorphous transformers to reduce power loss.
Furthermore, upgrading the air conditioning systems has improved energy efficiency, significantly reducing electricity consumption. Along with initiatives such as converting lighting to LED, we are promoting efficiency across the entire factory.
Going forward, we will work on advancing energy management by leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as AI and IoT, as well as further expanding the use of renewable energy, with the aim of establishing a more sustainable production system.
Manufacturing Department,
Yokohama Plant
T.S.
In recent years, global warming has become a serious issue. As economic activities develop, CO2 emissions increase, and consequently, the global average temperature rises. As a result, extreme weather events such as concentrated heavy rainfall and high temperatures are occurring worldwide, causing serious impacts.
In light of this situation, the Yokohama Plant has been working on CO2 reduction by switching to CO2– free electricity for power trading since April 2022. We are also working on reducing power consumption by replacing mercury lamps and fluorescent lights with LEDs. In our current efforts, we are also responding to external requests for power savings.
While the plant implements various initiatives for “environmentally friendly manufacturing,” I believe the most important thing is for each employee working at the plant to act with awareness. In the future, we would like to continue working on reducing environmental impact throughout the entire plant.
Koriyama Plant
T.O.
Energy forms an essential element in our lives. However, global warming brought about by energy consumption has become a serious problem, and energy conservation is now an important issue on a global scale. As an energy saving initiative at the Koriyama Plant, we installed an ICP system-based heat pump in December 2022 to make effective use of the waste hot water, which had not previously been used, after the heat exchange process. Using this waste water as a heat source and efficiently heating boiler feed water is expected to reduce emissions by 171t-CO2/year and city gas consumption by 113,000Nm3/year. There are many other energy-saving initiatives we can usefully do ourselves, such as saving electricity and water, rather than by installing equipment. Aware of the need to mitigate the effects of global warming, each and every person working at the Koriyama Plant will continue to engage in energy-saving activities.
Koriyama Plant
S.H.
Until now, energy conservation has been implemented mainly for cost reduction reasons. While this practice hasn’t changed until today, it is becoming more and more important as a means of solving social issues such as the prevention of global warming and ensuring a stable supply ofenergy. Energy, such as fuel and electricity, is indispensable for manufacturing products. The Koriyama Plant in particular, consumes a large amount of energy, and according to calculations based on the Energy Conservation Act, it accounts for approximately 70% of the energy consumption of our three domestic plants.
As an energy manager, my role is to improve the efficiency of energy use, that is, to promote energy conservation. With the introduction of highly-efficient equipment and the reduction and reuse of waste energy as measures related to production, all workplaces are working together to fulfil their social responsibility by focusing on energy conversation of daily usage not directly linked to production, such as lighting and air-conditioning.
Nanyo Plant
K.F.
At the Nanyo Plant, with the target of improving our year‑on‑year recycling rate and cutting the amount of industrial waste that goes into landfills, we are pursuing the following FY2021 environmental conservation initiatives:
HODOGAYA AGROTECH Co., Ltd.
Y.H.
When developing agricultural chemicals, it is of critical importance to ensure that users can safely utilize the chemicals to control weeds or pests, and to ensure that the impact of sprayed agricultural chemicals on the surrounding environment, including aquatic plants and animals, is minimal. By modifying the pharmaceutical formulation of products and the equipment used for spraying, it is possible to curb the impact on aquatic plants and animals, as well as reduce human exposure and dispersal into the surrounding area.
In recent years, some infrastructure and transportation-related companies have been setting their own safety standards for the agricultural chemicals they use, and some even ban the use of products labelled with a warning that they could potentially impact aquatic plants and animals. Most of the herbicides currently sold in Japan are labelled with this warning, but we modified the active ingredients, their respective amounts, and the pharmaceutical formulation to develop and start selling a highly effective herbicide with a reduced impact on aquatic plants and animals. I intend to continue working on product development, keeping safety and the environment in mind as I do so.
Koriyama Plant
S.S.
I work as a manager responsible for preventing water pollution. My work includes interpreting analysis data for water discharged by each manufacturing process as well as overall water discharge, monitoring water quality, and filing notifications with governmental authorities and others.
The Koriyama Plant manufactures products such as hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen peroxide derivatives, charge control agents and organic photo conductors used in copiers, and aluminum coloring dyes. The water discharged by the associated manufacturing processes is treated at a central wastewater treatment facility, then discharged into the Ouse River, a Class A river (as defined in Japan’s River Act) within the water system of the Abukuma River, which runs through the city of Koriyama. We therefore conduct monitoring and measurement according to standards we have set ourselves, which are even more stringent than the statutory water discharge standards. If there is even the slightest change in water quality, we immediately contact the relevant department and discuss the situation with them, then deliberate on and implement an investigation into the cause, along with improvement measures.
Everybody at the plant will continue working as one to maintain and improve the quality of our wastewater so that the koi carp and dragonfly larvae in the Ouse River can continue to live there undisturbed.
Tsukuba Research Laboratory
M.A.
To reduce paper waste, we try to reduce the amounts generated and also as a community contribution effort, we ask a social welfare corporation operating a support facility for persons with disabilities in Tsukuba City to collect and recycle paper waste. They come to collect the paper waste once a week.
When we have a small chat, they are all so pleasant that I get cheered up. I also feel that recycling the paper waste is beneficial to the welfare activities, even if just by a small amount.
To reduce glass waste, we used to take the glass bottles to the waste storage, which took up space. After consulting with the supplier, we are now able to return and reuse them by drying the bottles. We no longer worry about securing space for waste.
Environment･Safety & Quality
Assurance Department
S.S.
Some of the things I take note as an ISO internal auditor include whether the documents assessing the environmental impact of our products are properly produced, and whether the concept of product lifecycle from procurement of raw materials and manufacturing to disposal and recycle is integrated in the product development process. Once we actually conduct the audit, we can clearly see that the progress of specific initiatives to resolve issues are properly documented, and training sessions are well planned.
Continuous efforts must be made to protect the environment. I believe that our Company can continue to help protect the environment as a chemicals company through the provision of materials that could limit the product’s power consumption or through development of herbicides and pesticides that are friendly to the ecosystem.