To grasp its water consumption and to use water efficiently, the Mitsui Chemicals Group monitors the amount of water withdrawal, water discharge, and water recycled. For instance, we strive to reduce water consumption by setting annual budget targets, such as reducing water consumption per product unit from previous year. Especially in water-consuming production sites, we proactively engage in water recycling, including circulating cooling water systems, in an effort to reduce water withdrawal and consumption.
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Environmental Protection
Water
Water is an indispensable component of the Mitsui Chemicals Group’s various chemical product manufacturing processes. For example, water is used in manufacturing processes that include heating, cooling, and washing as well as for equipment that removes harmful chemical substances produced during these processes and discharges effluent.
Formulating its basic philosophy on water resources, the Mitsui Chemicals Group works to manage efficient water usage and water preservation. In addition, we ask suppliers to carry out activities that include waste water management and efficient utilization of water in the Sustainable Procurement Guidelines.
*Please refer here for scope of data.
Basic Philosophy on Water Resources
- We recognize that water is a finite and precious resource, and regard water conservation as a key priority on a global scale.
- We make every effort to use water efficiently as we recognize quality water resources are crucial to our operations.
- We appropriately manage water on a case-by-case basis for each country and region in which we operate, in recognition of the fact that water resources distribution varies both geographically and temporally.
Reduction in water quality contaminants
The Mitsui Chemicals Group has adopted benchmarks on water quality contaminants designated by laws and regulations and monitors the emissions of these substances such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen and phosphorus, to preserve the water environment. The emission levels for each of these contaminants are maintained far below the target levels required by laws or other regulations.
In domestic production sites with high water usage, the wastewater from different plants is collected together before it is treated by neutralization, oil separation, and removal of solids. We also pass the wastewater through an activated sludge process to remove organic substances using microorganisms. However, some of the water cannot be treated by the activated sludge process as it contains substances that inhibit microorganisms from organic decomposition or the organic substances contained in the water are persistent. Such wastewater is treated in a normal manner after treated with ozone, combustion, or anammox.*
*Anammox:
Anaerobic ammonium oxidation. A process to remove nitrites from ammonium-rich wastewater using ammonia-oxidizing bacteria.
Total Nitrogen Emissions (Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.)
Total Phosphorous Emissions (Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.)
COD, BOD Emissions (Mitsui Chemicals Group)
Efficient Use of Water
Water withdrawal
(surface water, ground water, seawater, produced water, third-party water)
Breakdown of Volume of Water Withdrawal
(Mitsui Chemicals Group: FY2023)
Discharge Water Volume
Water Consumption*
*Water consumption = water withdrawal - discharge water volume
Water Recycling Volume and Ratio*
*Water recycling ratio = water recycling volume / (volume of water withdrawal + water recycling volume)
Water Risk Assessment
The Mitsui Chemicals Group conducts water risk assessments for its production sites from the present up to the year 2050. As assessment tools, we mainly use the AQUEDUCT Water Risk Atlas from the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Water Risk Filter from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). First, we identify potential areas with water stress using AQUEDUCT, and then we narrow down these areas with water stress using the Water Risk Filter, which offers a different perspective. In FY2024, we identified two sites in India and the United States as areas with water stress. For these areas, we conduct detailed assessments based on water intensity per products manufactured at the site, water consumption, and local information. We have already conducted a detailed assessment of the site in India in FY2021 and confirmed that the water risk is not high. We will next conduct a detailed assessment of the site in the United States.
In addition, similar surveys are conducted at new plants when operations are commenced. Given the increasing demand for assessments from a double materiality perspective in the environmental field, we will restructure our comprehensive water risk assessment methods to include natural capital and biodiversity. Including biodiversity risk as a part of water risks, we use IBAT to gather data and investigate biodiversity risk based on the following evaluation items: Protected areas, priority protected areas, endangered species and endangered freshwater species surrounding our production sites.
In support of the TCFD recommendations, we are conducting assessments on the physical risks to our production sites (such as floods), based on IPCC RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. In identifying sites to be assessed, 68 sites in eight areas that rank high in importance (Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, India, United States, Europe, Brazil and Mexico) have been selected for analysis and assessment for the risk of river floods and coastal floods (storm surges). The risk of floods tends to be high in East Asia including Japan and China, and Southeast Asia, and the number of disasters is expected to increase in many areas.
Also, as part of the risk impact assessments, we estimated the amount of reduction in asset value and the amount of damage due to business interruption caused by floods from 2020 to 2080, utilizing a particular assessment model. The assessment results suggested that in 2030 and onward, our domestic and overseas sites will be subjected to a greater risk impact from river floods. In conjunction with the further development of the physical risk assessment in the recommendations of the TCFD, we plan to further expand the number of production sites subject to impact assessment, determine whether actions need to be taken based on the impact assessment results, and reflect the necessary actions in our business strategy.