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Environmental management
The global environment itself is our important management foundation. Cataler pursues environmental technology to contribute to a prosperous 21st century society. In addition to contributing to environmental conservation through our corporate activities, we will continue to make group-wide efforts to provide environmental value to our customers and other stakeholders, and to pass on a prosperous and sustainable society to the next generation.
Initiatives to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2)
At Cataler, as part of our environmental activities, we are working on CO2 reduction in the Energy Conservation Subcommittee. We have already achieved the target (reduction amount per unit of production*) requested by our major customers. The initiatives that have had the greatest effect in reducing CO2 emissions are as follows.
*Basic unit: Amount of materials or time used or emitted to produce a certain level of output.
Change in heat treatment temperature in the production process of automotive catalysts
In the catalyst production process, the catalyst layer was conventionally calcined at about 500℃ each time it was formed. We have changed the process to a method in which calcination is used only for the final process, and the intermediate process is completed only by drying (at about 100℃). We have completed performance verification of this process, and obtained customer approval.
Fuel conversion from LPG to town gas
Although there was no town gas service in the area surrounding Cataler's Headquarters, we actively lobbied for the town gas project that crossed Shizuoka Prefecture, and brought buried piping to our Headquarters in Chihama, Kakegawa City. The switchover from LPG fuel to town gas at all plants was made after more than a year of continuous construction every long holiday.
Future initiatives
We are developing a method that requires less than 1/10th the amount of water in the material processing step, compared to the conventional method. This method makes the heat treatment process more efficient, and is expected to reduce CO2 emissions from the whole process by about 10%.
Trends in CO2 reduction
Swipe sideways to View the table.
*The increase in emissions after FY2018 was due to the establishment of the new R&D center in FY2018, which became fully operational in FY2019.
Environmental contribution of Cataler products
Cataler catalysts that contribute to environmental conservation
Cataler's automotive catalysts (for gasoline and diesel vehicles) detoxify approximately 12.5 million tons of toxic substances contained in exhaust gases from engines annually, making them friendly to nature and people.
Cataler's automotive catalysts (for gasoline and diesel vehicles) detoxify approximately 12.5 million tons of toxic substances contained in exhaust gases from engines annually, making them friendly to nature and people.
Calculation conditions according to our research
Number of vehicles sold in Japan (with our catalysts): 1.25 million /year, catalysts: 2.5 million /year, average usage period: 12 years, average mileage: 10,000 km/year
Initiatives to reduce environmental impact
We have a consistent management system for chemical substances in all processes, from material procurement through the production stage, to shipping to customers. In addition, in order to manage environmentally hazardous substances from the product design stage, we perform environmental impact assessments for each product part number.
Basic approach and initiatives for reducing environmental impact
(CO2 emissions, harmful substances, waste, reduction of resource and energy consumption, purification of wastewater, etc.)
- *PRTR (Pollutant Release and Transfer Register)
- Mechanism for knowing what chemicals are released each year, from where and how much.
- *Gate review meeting
- A meeting held before moving to the next process. We judge whether the criteria for proceeding to the next process are met.
Environmental training
Cataler's products contribute to environmental conservation such as prevention of air pollution. Cataler is committed to preventing environmental accidents not only in its final products, but also in the process of developing and manufacturing products, and the entire group is working hard to prevent environmental problems. Employees working in the company are obligated to undergo environmental training to learn about the ISO14001 environmental management system and Cataler's initiatives, and we are conducting the following training and lectures.
- ・Basic environmental training for new employees (including mid-career hires)
- ・Periodic refresher training
- ・Study session at each environmental subcommittee
- ・ISO14001 internal auditor training
- ・Training corresponding to laws and regulations, such as training for persons responsible for managing poisonous and deleterious substances
- ・Other lectures by outside speakers
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- Environmental refresher training scene
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- Internal environmental auditor training scene
Environmental exchange with stakeholders
In addition to Cataler's own environmental conservation activities, we also carry out activities aimed at interacting with stakeholders and sharing awareness. In the "Safety and Environment Meeting", we invite our suppliers and suppliers who work on our premises to exchange opinions and introduce case studies of their activities. This meeting has been held since 2007, and has become a regular event held twice a year. In 2019, 84 suppliers participated, and the content is substantial.
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- Meeting to think about safety and the environment
In terms of interaction with the local community, we hold hands-on science classes (WAKUWAKU Science Class) for parents and children at events and festivals in the western region of Shizuoka Prefecture, our hometown. In this science class, the children learned about the importance of environmental preservation by not only classroom lectures but also hands-on experiences through experiments on the problems of environmental pollution, depleted resources, catering products, and the running mechanism of next-generation mobility vehicles.
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- Meeting to think about safety and the environment
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- WAKUWAKU science class
Environmental conservation
Cataler quantitatively assesses resources such as raw materials and energy (inputs) and the products and environmental impact of its activities (outputs) generated from its activities, and works to reduce its environmental impact not only by complying with official regulations, but also by setting voluntary targets.
Environmental management
The concept of doing business in harmony with the global environment in order for a company to develop sustainably. Cataler not only reduces the environmental impact through its products, but also carefully considers the environment in all processes, from product research to production.