Promotion of Waste Reduction and Recycling
Achieving and Maintaining Zero Emissions
The aim of zero emissions is to recycle waste generated during production processes, switch to beneficial materials that can be put to other industrial uses, and get as close to discharging zero waste as possible. We promote zero-emissions activities through controlling the use of direct and indirect materials, emissions and final waste, and reusing and recycling.
The waste produced by our business activities includes metal scrap, oil and liquid waste, grinding sludge, packaging, and plastic waste. By thoroughly separating our waste, we reuse or transform waste into usable materials, such as by turning steel scrap into steel-making material, sludge with grinding wheel dust into cement material, and oil and plastic waste into fuel.
As we work to conserve resources and promote zero emissions, we achieved an emissions rate (volume of waste disposed/total discharged) of 0.09% in 2021, once again reaching our annual target of less than 0.50%.
*2 Thermal recycling: Using waste as combustion material
Activities and Results Related to Plastic Waste
Efforts at Each Production Facility
Yamaguchi Plant
Reusing Excess Resin
When molding resin parts, after molding the original raw material, the unused resin is synthesized and reused. As a result, this plant was able to reduce the amount of resin it purchased (about 2 tons annually).
THK INTECHS Mishima Plant
Reusing Wooden Pallets
This plant moved forward with an initiative to take the wooden pallets with blue sides that are used between the plant and its external machining contractor and use those pallets as returnable ones. Currently, this facility is using 80 such pallets.
THK RHYTHM Hamamatsu Plant
Installing a Compactor to Reduce the Volume of Plastic Waste
A compactor was installed in the Hamamatsu plant in December to reduce the amount of plastic waste. As a result, the amount of plastic waste was reduced to 1/10 the previous amount.
Using Returnable Boxes
In the assembly process of the LM Guide, the LM rail used to be packed in cardboard. Beginning in March, they are now packed in returnable (wooden) boxes. As a result, they were able to reduce their cardboard consumption by about 12,520 kg annually.
THK RHYTHM Kyushu Plant
Reusing Scrap Resin
By recycling the scrap resin from the resin molding line since January, the plant was able to reduce the amount of scrap by 30%.
THK Changzhou Plant
Reusing Rainwater
To reduce the amount of municipal water that is used for the greenery around the plant, this location started using a rainwater collection pond in April. As a result, they were able to reduce the amount of municipal water used by about 450 tons annually.
