Conservation of Water Resources
Water is an essential resource of the earth and is indispensable in the manufacturing process of our group. Mitsui Kinzoku Group works to use water appropriately and to preserve the water environment. Our Environmental Action Plan stipulates the appropriate management of water intake at each site and the appropriate management of the amount and quality of wastewater discharged.
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.
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 water quality, including BOD and COD, which indicate the amount of organic matter in wastewater, in accordance with laws and regulations . Some sites have established their own voluntary standards, which are stricter than the laws and regulations. In addition, the results of monitoring at each site are collected and managed group-wide, and we share emission reduction efforts and technological solutions.
Survey of Water Stress
Mitsui Kinzoku Group uses the World Resources Institute's (WRI) AQUEDUCT Water Risk Atlas to assess water risk for each site. In the assessment, the sites with water stress rated as Extremely High (>80%) or High (40 80%) are primarily auto component manufacturing plants located in Morocco, Mexico, India, and the coastal areas of China. In FY2022, the total freshwater withdrawals of these sites were 169 thousand tons, equivalent to about 0.31% of the Group’s total*, and the impacts on operations are considered manageable.
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.
*Calculated using Baseline Water Stress from the AQUEDUCT Water Risk Atlas 4.0 released in August 2023.
Water Withdrawal in Water-stressed Areas
(FY2022, thousand m3)
| Water Stress Assessment
|
Water Withdrawal
|
Percentage |
| Extremely High (>80%) Areas |
51 |
0.09% |
| High (40-80%) Areas |
118 |
0.22% |
| Medium - High (20-40%) Areas |
1,950 |
4% |
| Low - Medium (10-20%) Areas |
50,496 |
94% |
| Low (<10%) Areas |
1,375 |
3% |
| Total |
53,989 |
100% |
* Global consolidated basis, excluding seawater.
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.