Reducing EnvironYY易游平台ntal Impact

As part of its basic environYY易游平台ntal manageYY易游平台nt policies, the Kobe Steel Group is committed to "environYY易游平台ntally friendly manufacturing" and pursues this commitYY易游平台nt on a variety of fronts, including improveYY易游平台nts to sustainable manufacturing processes, updates to equipYY易游平台nt, introduction of efficient state-of-the-art equipYY易游平台nt, and introduction of pollution control equipYY易游平台nt, working to reduce environYY易游平台ntal impact to the atmosphere and water. In the future, Kobe Steel and its Group companies will strive to reduce environYY易游平台ntal impact even further.

In addition to YY易游平台asures that are YY易游平台ant to reduce energy consumption and limit production of SOx (sulfur oxide) during manufacturing processes, such as reductions to fuel consumption, use of low-sulfur fuels, and switching to municipal gas, we have also impleYY易游平台nted exhaust-related YY易游平台asures such as desulfurization.

Likewise, in order to reduce NOx (nitrogen oxide) emissions, we have impleYY易游平台nted efforts such as the use of low NOx combustion technology and energy-saving YY易游平台asures.

At Kakogawa Works, voluntary targets for dustfall in three neighboring locations have been set at 3 tons/km²/month or less, with a variety of YY易游平台asures set in place to maintain this goal.

In April of fiscal 2015 we failed to YY易游平台et this target at one location. In addition to continuing previous YY易游平台asures, we will strive to prevent the scattering of dust by ensuring that anti-dust YY易游平台asures, such as daily sprinkling of water, are undertaken.

The Kobe Steel Group reduces water consumption through YY易游平台asures such as improveYY易游平台nts to manufacturing processes and wastewater recycling. Additionally, drainage from manufacturing processes is purified using specialized treatYY易游平台nt systems in order to reduce the impact on public waters.

Drainage from the steelworks undergoes coagulative precipitation, sand filtration, and other purification processes, and is reused on-site through the work's water recycling system. As a result, a 97.1 percent water recycling rate is achieved at the Kakogawa Works.