Sustainability
Environmental Pollution Prevention
Chemical Management
NGK abides by laws, guidelines, and other rules on chemical substances by maintaining a proper level of management for chemicals, and constantly striving to improve this level. Before new chemicals are used by each department, the Chemical Substances Safety Committee determines the pros and cons of using these chemicals and provides confirmation and guidance concerning what precautions must be taken for their usage and disposal. For chemicals that have already been used in the department, the site’s chemical substances committee and chemical substances patrol team determine and confirm the state of chemical management and provide necessary guidance. We also follow information regarding changes in chemical substance-related regulations and share this within the group to ensure proper chemical substance management policies are implemented.
Group companies inside and outside Japan survey and understand regional rules and regulations so that chemical substances can be properly managed.
Chemical Management Flowchart
Commitment Concerning Hazardous Substances
The NGK Group aims to reduce the amount of hazardous substances used, in accordance with the NGK Group Environmental Policy. Regarding raw materials, we present our suppliers with a hazardous materials list, and require that they comply with the hazardous substances management stipulated by the NGK Group Supplier Code of Conduct and the NGK Group Green Procurement Standard.
NGK Group Environmental Policy
NGK Group’s Supply-Chain CSR Guideline
NGK Group's Green Procurement Standard
Reducing Emissions of Hazardous Waste
In order to comply with statutory deadlines, we conduct thorough investigations into PCB-containing waste at NGK and our Group companies, then proceed sequentially with extraction, storage, and disposal. Disposal is outsourced to, and properly handled by, contractors who hold PCB disposal permits.
Atmospheric Emissions Control
The NGK Group manages a database of approximately 7,000 pieces of equipment, in accordance with the Act on Rational Use and Appropriate Management of Fluorocarbons. And we curb undue emissions by centralizing management information about things like simple inspections, periodic inspections, maintenance, and leaks.
We comply with legal limits on soot emissions from facilities through periodic measurement in accordance with laws and regulations, and constant monitoring of critical items. Moreover, when elevated photochemical oxidant levels cause photochemical smoke warnings to be issued, the NGK Group registers with Aichi Prefecture as a cooperative factory and conduct measures to reduce emissions.
Wastewater Management
To avoid impacts on people’s health and living environments, we have set our own internal standards with respect to wastewater to supplement the standard compliance values set by laws and ordinances. These trigger alarms or shutoff at or below levels required by wastewater standards. Moreover, we perform management beforehand to ensure that even in cases of emergency, levels do not surpass regulatory standard values.