Conservation of Water Resources
Water is an important resource of the Earth, deeply connected to the abundance of land, sea and biodiversity. Water is essential to Mitsui Kinzoku Group's manufacturing processes. We are committed to the proper use of water in all aspects of our business operations, in dialogue with local communities to conserve water resources.
We also consider it important that all employees have access to safe drinking water and a sanitary water environment, and we have installed sanitary facilities and are working to raise awareness of water conservation at all of our sites.
Integrated Report 2024 Occupational health and safety/Initiatives for environmental issues/Disclosure of climate-related information in line with the TCFD recommendations ［PDF 1,370KB］
Appropriate Use of Water
Mitsui Kinzoku Group strives to reduce water consumption and recycle water in its business activities. At our manufacturing sites, we monitor water usage, wastewater discharge , and reuse/recycling volumes to ensure efficient water use. In particular, at smelting sites that use a lot of water, we promote the reuse of wastewater from ore dressing and of cooling water, as well as the use of seawater and rainwater and their reuse/recycling.
Reduction of Water Pollutants
Each manufacturing site monitors the status of its wastewater, including BOD and COD, which indicate the amount of organic matter in the wastewater, under stricter voluntary standards to ensure compliance with laws, regulations and ordinances. At our smelting sites, we manage wastewater with regard to the concentration of heavy metals and other pollutants, not only according to laws and regulations, but also in compliance with even stricter agreements with authorities and local community groups.
We have several wastewater monitoring stations along the wastewater routes, including wastewater treatment units, confluence points, and discharge outlets, which are constantly monitored by our ICT system for any anomalies. Mitsui Kinzoku Group also collects and manages the monitoring results from each site on a group-wide basis as well as shares emission reduction efforts and technologies.
Survey of Water Stress
We use World Resources Institute (WRI)’s AQUEDUCT Water Risk Atlas to assess water risks at our manufacturing sites in Japan and overseas. In WRI‘s assessment, 10 sites in Morocco, Mexico, India and China are located in areas where water stress is rated Extremely High (>80%), while 5 sites in Indonesia, Thailand and China are rated High (40-80%)*. These sites, which mainly manufacture automotive components, had a freshwater withdrawal of 167 thousand m³ in FY2023, or 0.5% of the Group's total. We will continue to monitor and analyze water risks comprehensively, including detailed surveys of areas with high water stress, to preserve water resources and minimize the impact on our business.
*Baseline Water Stress of the AQUEDUCT Water Risk Atlas 4.0.
Initiatives in Water-stressed Areas (MKCI Sanand Plant)
MKCI's Sanand plant is located in the state of Gujarat in western India and produces exhaust gas purification catalysts for two-wheelers and four-wheelers. The area is rated Extremely High in WRI's Water Stress Assessment and there are seasonal restrictions on water withdrawal from the industrial park.
The plant requires pure water for its production activities. Until now, water has been taken from the industrial park and the wastewater has been treated in industrial wastewater processing equipment and then percolated underground in accordance with local laws. In order to recycle this treated water, we introduced purification treatment equipment that purifies the water using reverse osmosis membranes starting in 2022. This equipment removes impurities from the wastewater, and the treated water is used in the pure water production system to ensure water of the same level of purity as before. By using this water for production activities, it is expected to be possible to reduce the amount of water withdrawal. In addition, even in the event of water withdrawal restrictions from the industrial park, purified water can be provided and production will not be disrupted, allowing for smooth business operations.
When this treatment equipment is in full-scale operation, we expect to reduce water withdrawal by approximately 6,000 m3/year. Currently in trial operation, we will work to stabilize the quality of treated water and improve treatment capacity.