Response to Environmental Risks
Reduction of environmental risks
The Resonac Group is implementing the following measures to reduce environmental risks, aiming to achieve zero serious environmental accidents that badly affect human health and the environment*, such as the outflow of chemical substances from company premises and environmental pollution by hazardous substances.
In 2023 we had one serious environmental accident.
- * Serious environmental accidents: Events that result in damage to human health or the natural environment along with any of the following situations due to the discharge of certain substances beyond the regulatory or agreed standards
1. Ambulance transportation due to physical injury or illness
2. Damage to the lives, business activities and natural environments of third parties
3. Request for assistance made to outside (other than official emergency calls)
4. (Nationwide) media coverage
- Education of employees on latest revision of environmental laws and regulations and internal auditing at each site
- Confirmation of compliance with environmental laws and regulations at each site through Environment and Safety auditing by the head office
- Implementation of environmental risk assessment
- Formulation of a manual on responses to incidents (about how to establish an internal response system including the response headquarters; information communication channels; and about internal and external reporting and information sharing) and organization of drills
- Sharing of environmental accident information across the board
- Promotion of “Active Safety” activities* to prevent the reoccurrence of similar problems based on the analysis of past accidents and problems
- Implementation of measures including surveys in line with the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act and the ordinances of local governments following the change of land usage or the excavation and transportation of soil from the premises to prevent soil and groundwater contamination
- * Active Safety activities: Activities in which we analyze past incidents and disasters and summarize the lessons learned from them in the “Active Safety checklist,” and then make use of the list to identify related risks and as an educational material to prevent the reoccurrence of similar incidents
Targets and results of non-financial KPI
| KPIs on material issues | 2025 targets | Results in 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Zero environmental accidents | Zero environmental accidents (consolidated) | 1 (consolidated) |
Environmental measures in Kitakata City, Fukushima
At our Kitakata Plant in Fukushima, substances including fluorine attributable to our business in the past were detected in an amount exceeding the regulatory standards in the groundwater flowing beneath the premises. In response, we have implemented remediation measures in line with the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act and the measures were completed in October 2023.
Niigata Minamata disease
Regarding the Niigata Minamata disease, the outbreak of which was officially confirmed in 1965, we acknowledge that it caused great inconvenience to people living around its site, our wastewater caused the pollution of the Agano River. Resonac, in cooperation with the national and local governments, will continue to respond in good faith to the victims of the incident and work to solve the related problems in line with the laws and regulations that provide for compensation to be paid for the damage caused by the pollution.