Komatsu complies with national and local laws and regulations and ensures that it periodically reports and maintains measurement results.
In FY2019, there were two violations and one violation of environmental regulations in Japan and other countries, respectively, each of them minor. No fines are imposed and they have all been resolved.
There were no major environmental accidents which might pollute the environment on the boundary of our site during this period.
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.
Our clean-up of the Oyama Plant was completed in FY2009. We are continuing clean-up operations at other sites while checking the effect of our cleaning measures.
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.
| Business unit | Cleanup method | Cleanup status |
|---|---|---|
| Awazu Plant |
Excavation and removal, soil vapor extraction, groundwater withdrawal and aeration, bioremediation |
In process |
| Komatsu Plant (former site) |
Excavation and removal, groundwater withdrawal and aeration, bioremediation |
In process |
| Osaka Plant |
Soil vapor extraction, air sparging, groundwater withdrawal and aeration, bioremediation |
In process |
| Shonan Plant |
Excavation and removal, groundwater withdrawal and aeration |
In process |
| Tochigi Plant |
Excavation and removal, bioremediation |
In process |
Komatsu stores and disposes of PCB-containing waste (such as transformers and fluorescent stabilizers) in accordance with the "Act on Special Measures concerning Promotion of Proper Treatment of PCB Wastes" and the "Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law".
We intend to continue our appropriate treatment of PCB waste, including low-concentration PCB waste, according to our plan.
In FY2019, the number of PRTR* substances with a handling volume of 1 ton or more (0.5 tons or more for Class I Designated Chemical Substances) was 26, a reduction by one, compared to the previous year.
The PRTR substances xylene, ethyl benzene and toluene account for approximately 91% of the emissions from Komatsu and Komatsu Group production sites. Most of these emissions are released into the atmosphere.
In FY2019, the volume of xylene, ethyl benzene and toluene fell from FY2018 levels despite increased production volume due to the ongoing switch to paints and thinners that contains less PRTR Class 1 substances at each site.
We will continue to make efforts to switch to paints that contains less PRTR Class 1 substances, introduce high solids thinners and paints, improve coating efficiency, reduce coating film thickness, and recycle paint thinner. Emissions in FY2019 were reduced by about 12% from the previous year.
Independent Practitioner's Assurance
Independent Practitioner's Assurance
The majority of VOC emissions are from VOCs contained in paint such as xylene and ethyl benzene.
Emissions in FY2019 were reduced by 6.5% compared to the previous year, and we have managed to maintain a 50% reduction (compared to FY2005) in the amount of VOC emissions per unit of manufacturing value.
Independent Practitioner's Assurance
At the Awazu Plant, large frames were coated by hand in the past. They have started coating them on an automated coating line, which has reduced coating material consumption drastically.
Automation had been difficult because different large parts are attached for each customer, requiring the coating to be appropriate for each shape, and also because seasonal changes in temperature made it difficult to adjust the coating conditions. To introduce the new equipment, we performed several improvements. First, we installed a booth to pre-heat parts to adjust to the temperature changes. We also started controlling the temperature of the coating materials. Second, we placed the robot so it would be able to always coat from the same direction by rotating the part being coated, etc. Those improvements enabled us to introduce the automated coating line.
In the past, humans would accidentally recoat areas, which makes the coating film thicker. The introduced robot can consistently spray the same amount of coating, which has realized a constant coating thickness, preventing the waste of the sprayed coatings. Consumption of coating was reduced 47% after the introduction of the robot. Moreover, the automated line also reduced the amount of coating adhering to the walls of the coating booth, improving cleaning and maintenance as well.
Komatsu is aware of the harmful environmental impacts that certain materials possess, and has made continuous efforts from an early stage to reduce the use of a number of such substances. These included asbestos, lead, and other such items. In FY1999, we created our own list of banned and limited-use substances (Refer to “Substances of Environmental Concern Banned or to Be Reduced for Use in Products”), which was based in part on Japanese legislation (Japanese Law Concerning the Examination and Regulation of Manufacture of Chemical Substances Control) that banned a number of chemical materials as well as regulatory measures in other countries.
We have also implemented more stringent measures in the control of substances that raise environmental concerns. In compliance with REACH*1, we began revisions of our FY1999 listing of banned and limited-use substances. We have also collaborated with suppliers to create a regulatory system that strengthens control of potentially harmful materials being used for production. We have rolled this system out in Japan and Europe, with plans to continue implementation in other areas of operation.
Through the use of this system, we identify SVHC (substances of very high concern) in not only vehicles for export to the EU or produced at local EU companies, but also in vehicles currently in production and in newly developed vehicles. Furthermore, we also regularly check for new SVHCs to be added to the list.
There are currently 205 SVHCs registered, with the list being revised every six months. We expect this number to increase to about 1,500 in the future. We have also devised a workflow to monitor control of these substances.
| Rank | Number | Chemical Substance |
|---|---|---|
| Banned |
17 |
|
| To be reduced (Subject to limited use) |
15 |
|
| Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) under EU REACH Regulations |
(205)*4 |
Komatsu controls the use of the following substances, which might be used in Komatsu products.
|
To reduce the NOx (nitrogen oxide) and PM (particulate matter) contained in the exhaust gases of diesel engines, which are used in construction equipment and other machinery, new emission control regulations have been established, and we have been developing products that emit cleaner exhaust gasses. As a result, the average NOx and PM emitted by the construction equipment products produced by Komatsu are decreasing as shown below:
Independent Practitioner's Assurance
Due to climate change caused by global warming and other factors such as population growth, water-related risks such as flooding, droughts, and water shortages have surfaced and are becoming more serious every year.
The Komatsu Group respects the right to water and sanitation as important human rights. We also fully understands 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, through environmentally considered production activities, the provision of superior products and services, and appropriate actions to mitigate water-related risks, we conserve water resources and preserve the safety of water in the regions we operate within. 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 the reduction of water usage and recycling and has carried out activities, mainly for the protection of water quality. In FY2015, we conducted a Water-related Risk Survey at the main offices in Japan and other countries for the first time. In this survey, we assessed the risk occurrence percentage, the difficulty of responses, and the magnitude of the impact of seven water-related risk items, including heavy rains, flooding, and pollution from drainage, and identified water risks specific to each site.
In addition, using WRI Aqueduct to complement the survey results, we implemented more accurate water-related risk assessment.
As a result of the water-related risk survey, we specified that the Komatsu Group was vulnerable to the following water risks as a whole:
To minimize the impact of these water-related issues on the businesses of the group, we are promoting water-related risk reduction activities. In the future, we will implement the water-related risk survey on a regular basis to update the water-related issues of the Komatsu Group.
Using WRI Aqueduct, we surveyed 34 main production bases of the Komatsu Group about water stress risks in the water resource usage required for their production activities, such as clean water (tap water/city water), industrial water (clean water for industrial use), and well water. Water usage in areas that were assessed to have extremely high water stress accounts for 10% of overall usage. In addition, we found that approximately 70% of water used by Komatsu was well water while 75% of water used in high-risk areas was clean water and recognized that water usage reduction and water recycling were important to secure water resources in each area.
We will effectively use these survey results for activities we have conventionally engaged in, such as the promotion of water usage (input volume) reduction and recycling, aiming to reduce the water-related risks the Komatsu Group is exposed to. In addition, when planning the construction of a new business base or the transfer of a base, we will survey water stress in that area to identify the risk level.
We have initiated the construction of multiple safety measures against the risks imposed by heavy rain. These include the building of three reservoirs (capable of holding up to an hour's worth of 100mm/h rainfall), installation of heavy rainfall water pipes, the construction of underground reservoirs, and the widening of rainwater drainage ways. In addition to this, we have installed water block walls and stop bars to prevent water from flowing outside of the premises.
* Our reservoirs also serve to alleviate the surrounding district's lack of drainage capacity.
Current Status of Reservoirs:
The following measures have been implemented to prevent the entry of river flood water into KI premises.
We have engaged elements of our supply chain to collaborate with our water-related risk initiatives. Our “Water-Related Risk Survey” was conducted at the operations of one of our main supply chain companies (Midori-kai). Komatsu is proud to report that as of FY2017, Midori-kai has begun collaborative efforts in our “Water-Related Risk Reduction Activities”.
Komatsu has been conducting planned compliance and risk audits (CR audits) since fiscal 2007 for risk prevention at overseas group companies.
In FY2019, we conducted environmental CR audits in China (KCCM) and the United States (KMC, Hensley).
Our comprehensive auditing procedure begins with the assessment of a check sheet that our group companies. We then begin an audit of environmental activities and compliance to legislative regulations, supported by the chief of environmental matters of our main domestic plant. There were no major problems that would lead to environmental risks in both China and the United States, and both were actively working on reducing environmental impact.
We continue to carry out follow-ups checks at areas where audits have already been completed, and plan to conduct further environmental audits of our group companies in other regions.
| Year | Area | Year | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2007 |
China |
2014 |
United States and Brazil |
|
2008 |
— |
2015 |
Thailand |
|
2009 |
Thailand and Indonesia |
2016 |
India and Indonesia |
|
2010 |
India |
2017 |
Russia and China |
|
2011 |
Brazil |
2018 |
Indonesia and Brazil |
|
2012 |
Russia and Czech Republic |
2019 |
China and the United States |
| 2013 | United State |
At overseas business units, employees in charge of the environment and safety in each region gathered to hold meetings. By exchanging information of and discussing common issues in the region, they aim to improve compliance and the level of the environmental impact reduction activities at each business unit. In FY2019, 30 or more business units participated in the meetings from the following five regions: Russia, Middle and South America, Europe, China, and North America. Through activities like this, we would like to further revitalize the environmental activities of the Komatsu Group.
