Komatsu complies with national and local laws and regulations and ensures that it periodically reports and maintains measurement results.
In FY2025, there were five minor violations of environmental regulations in Japan and one overseas. No fines were imposed, and all issues have been resolved.
Komatsu has established guidelines for testing soil and groundwater, inspects any business unit that is scheduled to be sold, closed, or removed pursuant to laws and regulations, and takes purification measures upon confirmation by local authorities if contamination is discovered.
We voluntarily investigate business units in operation in order to test for contamination stemming from VOCs in cleaning solvents, etc. used in the past.
We have been surveying soil and groundwater for VOC contamination at domestic business units since 2005, and have implemented countermeasures at any sites that have been found to be contaminated. We use methods that facilitate the cleaning process in the shortest period of time possible.
We will continue to thoroughly clean-up and regularly monitor groundwater at site boundaries to ensure that there is no outflow of groundwater that has exceeded the standard outside the premises.
At our sites in Japan, PCB-containing waste—such as transformers and fluorescent lamp ballasts—is properly stored and disposed of in accordance with the “Act on Special Measures concerning Promotion of Proper Treatment of PCB Wastes” and the “Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law.”
While Komatsu completed the disposal of high-concentration PCB waste by the legal deadline at the end of March 2023, some fluorescent lamp ballasts containing high-concentration PCB were discovered in older buildings at some sites in April 2025. These were promptly reported to the relevant authorities and disposed of. We also shared this case internally and completed checks and disposal of similar equipment at other sites.
Regarding low-concentration PCB waste, for which the disposal deadline is the end of March 2027, we will continue to proceed with its disposal in a planned manner.
In FY2025, the number of PRTR* substances with a handling volume of 1 ton or more, or 0.5 tons or more for Specified Class I Designated Chemical Substances, was 29, unchanged from the previous fiscal year.
The three PRTR-related substances xylene, ethylbenzene, and toluene account for approximately 76% of emissions from Komatsu and Komatsu Group production sites, and most of these emissions are released into the atmosphere.
In FY2025, each business site promoted the switch to paints and thinners with lower Class I PRTR substance content, resulting in a reduction in the handling volume.
In FY2026, we will continue working to make improvements by switching to auxiliary materials with lower Class I PRTR substance content, improving coating efficiency, reducing coating film thickness, and recycling paint thinner.
Komatsu Group manufacturing facilities in Japan
NOTE: Substances handled in quantities of 1 t or more (0.5 t or more for Specific Class I Designated Chemical Substances)
Komatsu Group manufacturing facilities in Japan
NOTE: Substances handled in quantities 1 ton or more (0.5 tons or more for Class 1 specified)
The majority of VOC emissions are from VOCs contained in paints and thinners, such as xylene and ethylbenzene.
In FY2025, VOC emissions decreased by approximately 9% compared to FY2024. We will continue our efforts to reduce VOC emissions in the future.
Komatsu Group manufacturing facilities in Japan
In response to growing environmental awareness overseas, Komatsu has made efforts from an early stage to reduce substances of environmental concern, such as asbestos and lead. In FY1999, based on substances banned under Japan’s Chemical Substances Control Law and substances banned under regulations in other countries, we established lists of banned substances and restricted-use substances, and began comprehensive management of substances of environmental concern. (Please refer to “Substances of Environmental Concern Banned or to Be Reduced for Use in Products”)
Recently, based on compliance with REACH*1 and SCIP*2, we have been reviewing restricted-use substances and promoting their reduction or prohibition. With the cooperation of suppliers, we have introduced a management system to strengthen the management of substances of concern contained in products. This system has begun operation in Japan and at our European subsidiaries, and we are also promoting its use at other overseas subsidiaries.
Using this system, we conduct checks not only on machines exported to the EU and machines produced by our local subsidiaries in the EU, but also on newly developed models. In addition, we recheck substances whenever additional SVHCs are registered.
As of May 2026, there are 253 SVHCs. Since substances are added every six months and the number is said to potentially increase to 1,500 in the future, we have established a routine workflow to ensure comprehensive management.
| Rank | Number | Substance name |
|---|---|---|
| Banned |
27 |
|
| To be reduced (Subject to limited use) |
15 |
|
| Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) under EU REACH Regulations |
(253)*5 |
Komatsu controls the use of the following substances, which might be used in Komatsu products.
|
We are working to phase out or reduce the use of substances of environmental concern.
Emission regulations have been established to reduce NOx (nitrogen oxides) and PM (particulate matter) contained in the exhaust gases from diesel engines used in construction equipment and other machinery. Komatsu has been developing products with cleaner exhaust emissions in response to these regulations. In FY2025, approximately 78% of the construction equipment produced complied with U.S. Tier 3, EU Stage IIIA, or more stringent regulations. As a result, the average NOx and PM emissions from construction equipment products produced by Komatsu are shown below:
Average NOx and PM emissions
| FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOx(g/kWh) | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.5 |
| PM(g/kWh) | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.17 |
Due to climate change, population growth and other phenomena brought by global warming, risks of river flooding, droughts, water shortages and other water-related problems have surfaced all over the world and are becoming more serious every year.
The Komatsu Group believes that everyone has the right to access safe and sanitary water, and we respect it as one of the most important rights. We also fully understand that we depend on that water and our business operations are influenced by and exert influence on the quantity and quality of that water.
Therefore, we engage in production activities that minimize environmental impact, provide good products and services and take appropriate actions to mitigate water-related risks in an effort to conserve local water resources and ensure that the water stays safe. It is our goal to promote these activities at All Komatsu and lead to the conservation of the global environment.
Through these initiatives, we contribute to the SDGs, a set of common goals for the world.
Based on the Komatsu Earth Environment Charter, the Komatsu Group has promoted initiatives focused on reducing water usage, promoting recycling, and protecting water quality. In 2023, we conducted a "Water Risk Survey" at 58 key business sites, both domestic and international, regardless of production status. This survey included: (1) the identification of general and objective water risks using the WRI Aqueduct, and (2) a subjective awareness survey of water risks deemed important by Komatsu. By combining these two approaches, we achieved a more comprehensive "Water Risk Survey."
The results of this "Water Risk Survey" revealed that some areas within the Komatsu Group face significant risks, such as water scarcity (water stress) and disaster risks from river flooding. Moving forward, we will continue to conduct regular "Water Risk Surveys" to update and address water-related issues within the Komatsu Group.
Using WRI Aqueduct, we assessed water stress risks at the Komatsu Group’s 30 major production sites in Japan and overseas with regard to the use of water resources necessary for production activities, including municipal water (tap water/city water), industrial water, and well water.
As of 2023, water usage at sites assessed as having “high” or “medium-high” water stress risk accounted for approximately 6% of total water usage. While well water accounts for about 68% of Komatsu’s overall water usage, all water used at sites with “high” water stress risk is municipal water. This confirmed the importance of reducing water usage and promoting water recycling, also from the perspective of securing water resources in those regions.
We will use the results of this survey in our existing initiatives, such as reducing water usage (input volume), promoting water recycling, and adapting to physical risks such as heavy rain and flooding, in order to reduce water risks across the Komatsu Group. In addition, when planning the construction of new business sites or the relocation of existing sites, we will conduct water stress assessments in those regions and confirm the level of risk.
As measures against heavy rain, we have installed three reservoirs capable of storing one hour’s worth of on-site rainfall at 100 mm/h, heavy-rainwater drainage pipes, and underground storage tanks, while also expanding rainwater drainage channels. We have also installed water-stop walls and water-stop plates to prevent rainwater from flowing off the premises.
Current Status of Reservoirs:
KIPL: Since river floodwater may enter the parts warehouse and remanufacturing shop during heavy rainfall, the following measures have been taken:
KRA: This area receives heavy rainfall and is located in a valley, which may allow water to enter the premises. The following measures have been taken to prevent water intrusion:
We have also conducted a water risk survey of our major supply chain partners, Midori-kai, and have received their cooperation in water risk reduction activities since FY2017.
Komatsu began conducting environmental audits in FY2007 to prevent risks at overseas subsidiaries. Since then, these audits have been carried out systematically as compliance and risk audits (CR audits).
In FY2025, we conducted audits in Chile, Europe, and China. The audits were carried out with the support of environmental managers at mother plants in Japan. Prior to the audits, audit check sheets prepared by Komatsu were sent to the local subsidiaries, and the audits were conducted based on the results of each company’s self-check. The audit results showed that none of the companies had any major issues that could lead to environmental risks, and that they were all actively engaged in activities to reduce their environmental impact.
We will continue to conduct follow-up activities for these audits and carry out environmental audits at local subsidiaries in other regions.
| Year | Area | Year | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | China | 2017 | Russia and China |
| 2008 | — | 2018 | Indonesia and Brazil |
| 2009 | Thailand and Indonesia | 2019 | China and the United States |
| 2010 | India | 2020 | Europe |
| 2011 | Brazil | 2021 | China and Europe |
| 2012 | Russia and Czech Republic | 2022 | Southeast Asia and the United States |
| 2013 | the United State | 2023 | Europe, China, and the United States |
| 2014 | the United States and Brazil | 2024 | Indonesia |
| 2015 | Thailand | 2025 | Chile, Europe, and China |
| 2016 | India and Indonesia |
At Komatsu, we hold a global environmental meeting in Japan once every three years. In the remaining two years, we organize environmental regional meetings in each area. These meetings provide opportunities to exchange information and discuss region-specific challenges, with the aim of reducing compliance risks and improving the level of environmental activities at each site.
In FY2025, environmental regional meetings were held in North America, Central and South America, Europe, Southeast Asia, China, Oceania, and South Africa. Through these activities, we aim to further promote environmental initiatives across the Komatsu Group.