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Environmental Protection

Environmentally Hazardous Substances

The Mitsui Chemicals Group is monitoring emissions of volatile organic compound (VOC), NOx, Sox, soot and dust, hazardous air pollutants, and substances subject to the PRTR Act, and working to reduce environmental impact.

*Please refer here for scope of data.

Air

Among the hazardous air pollutants specified in the Air Pollution Control Act, we monitor emissions of priority substances that are believed to pose a high risk to human health and strive to reduce the emissions.

The Japanese government set a target of reducing fixed-source volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in fiscal 2010 by 30% compared with fiscal 2000. VOC emissions at Mitsui Chemicals reached 8,523t in fiscal 2000, so our goal is 5,966 tons/year. However, we intensified the goal to 3,000 tons/year or less and succeeded in making drastic reductions by fiscal 2010. We have continued maintaining emissions at this level.

Because the Mitsui Chemicals Group produces various chemical products, a wide range of VOCs are emitted. We use various methods to reduce VOC emissions into the air, including absorption by activated carbon and other filters, neutralization by acid or alkaline water, combustive decomposition, and Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA).
Further, burning fuel in chemical product manufacturing processes generates SOx, NOx, and soot and dust. We therefore implement a variety of measures to reduce release of these items into the atmosphere by removing them using catalysts, installing dust collectors and washing towers, and using fuels free from nitrogen and sulfur.

Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions

NOx Emissions

SOx Emissions

Soot and Dust Emissions

Emissions of Hazardous Air Pollutants (Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.)

*Previous emission figures:
771 tons (FY1995), 445 tons (FY2000), 110 tons (FY2005)

Substances Subject to the PRTR Act

In accordance with the Law Concerning Reporting, etc. of Releases to the Environment of Specific Chemical Substances and Promoting Improvements in Their Management (PRTR^* Act), Mitsui Chemicals submits a report to the Japanese government each year declaring the amounts of designated substances produced or used by the Company that were released into the environment or transferred elsewhere.
We are further reinforcing our management while also seeking other ways to reduce annual emissions 450 tons or less.
In order to reduce the annual PRTR emissions to 450 tons or less by the end of fiscal 2025, we are currently developing an investment and loan plan to renovate our facilities to achieve this target. Specifically, we plan to review and improve the process of recovering and treating exhaust gases, which mainly include hexane and toluene.

*PRTR:
Pollutant Release and Transfer Register.