Prevention of Pollution
Our Approach
For the development of a sustainable society as well as its own business continuity, the SUBARU Group considers it essential to prevent the pollution of public water resources, soil, and the atmosphere. The Group endeavors to accurately measure its environmental impact and reduce it to a minimum by making the best use of its environmental management system.
Management System
SUBARU, in cooperation with relevant departments and staff involved with environmental laws and regulations at Group companies in Japan, utilizes its environmental management system and works to prevent and minimize their materialization of environmental risks involved in its business activities (environmental accidents, pollution, noncompliance with laws and regulations, etc.).
Among the specific measures taken across the SUBARU Group are enhanced sharing of information on environmental laws and regulations through creation of a network of officers in charge of this area within the SUBARU Group; provision of training in environmental laws and regulations to these officers; and review of the procedures and practice of internal audit relating to compliance with environmental laws and regulations. In implementing these initiatives, we will emulate the PDCA cycle of the environmental management system, identifying issues in each fiscal year as the basis for improvement in the next, thus taking continuous action to ensure comprehensive compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
Achievements and Initiatives
Compliance with Environmental Laws and Regulations and Related Initiatives
In addition to complying with environmental laws and regulations, SUBARU has set its own voluntary environmental standard values, which are 20% stricter than the regulatory values set by law. We are committed to never exceeding the regulatory and voluntary thresholds and striving to achieve the goal of zero environmental complaints and zero environmental accidents. In FYE March 2023, one incident related to water quality exceeded relevant regulations at the Tokyo Office. We are conducting a root cause analysis of the issue, including investigating necessary water discharge amounts and water inflow, and will explore and implement measures to rectify the situation.
| Name of the Site | Number of Cases |
|---|---|
| Tokyo Office | 1 |
Among our Group companies in Japan, there was one case of regulatory violation related to noise at Subaru Logistics Co., Ltd., and one case related to water quality at Fuji Machinery Co., Ltd. where the legal limit was exceeded. We are actively striving to identify the root causes of these incidents to prevent their recurrence.
FYE March 2023 Environmental Performance Data for Plants and Offices
Environmental Accidents
We are committed to achieving the goal of zero accidents, both on-site and off-site. In FYE March 2023, two incidents occurred off-site and five incidents occurred on-site. With regard to the two off-site incidents, we have identified the cause of the incident in Gunma and have conducted activities to raise awareness and prevent similar accidents in the future. Particularly with respect to the environmental incident that occurred at the Tokyo Office, we are conducting a root cause analysis of the issue, including investigating necessary water discharge amounts and water inflow, and will explore and implement measures to rectify the situation.
| Name of the Site | Number of Cases |
|---|---|
| Gunma Plant | Off-site incidents 1 On-site incidents 3 |
| Utsunomiya Plant | On-site incidents 1 |
| Tokyo Office | Off-site incidents 1 On-site incidents 1 |
Among our Group companies in Japan, there was one case of an accident off premises at Fuji Machinery Co., Ltd. We are working diligently to prevent a recurrence in addition to complying with environmental laws and regulations.
Environmental Complaints
We are committed to achieving the goal of zero environmental complaints, but in FYE March 2023 we received four. We intend to prevent recurrence by uncovering the causes of the complaints.
| Name of the Site | Number of Cases |
|---|---|
| Gunma Plant | 2 |
| Utsunomiya Plant | 2 |
Noise, Vibration, and Offensive Odors
The Gunma Plant conducts daily patrols premised on the fact that people and measuring instruments respond to odors and noise very differently. In addition, we use hotlines as a means of communicating with local residents and use their valuable feedback to improve production facilities when appropriate.
Soil and Groundwater
We started our voluntary soil and groundwater tests at our locations in 1998 and have since implemented purification measures and groundwater monitoring as required. Since the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act came into effect in 2003, we have also filed reports and conducted tests in accordance with the law.
PCB Waste
SUBARU is auditing and treating polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) waste as planned. We conducted a final survey of the status of PCB waste treatment at each SUBARU base and at Group companies and dealers in Japan. By FYE March 2028, the SUBARU Group plans to complete the disposal of PCB waste.
Hazardous Waste
SUBARU has had no significant spillage, nor has it transported waste deemed hazardous under the terms of Annex Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ of the Basel Convention*.
- *
- International treaty on the control of movements of hazardous wastes between nations and their disposal procedures.
VOC
SUBARU manages volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions during the automobile painting process using an emissions per unit coating area calculation method. We are reducing the amount of cleaning thinner used in the automobile painting process and increasing recovery to reduce VOC emissions during painting. However, FYE March 2023 emissions increased 2.2% compared with the previous fiscal year to 50.3g/m2.
Chemical Substances Regulated by Japan’s Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) Act
Scope:
- SUBARU:
- Gunma Plant, Tokyo Office, Utsunomiya Plant, Handa Plant, Handa West Plant
- Group companies in Japan:
- Yusoki Kogyo K.K., Fuji Machinery Co., Ltd., Ichitan Co., Ltd., Kiryu Industrial Co., Ltd., Subaru Logistics Co., Ltd.
NOx and SOx Emissions
Scope:
- SUBARU:
- Gunma Plant, Tokyo Office, Utsunomiya Plant, Handa Plant, Handa West Plant
- Group companies in Japan:
- Yusoki Kogyo K.K., Fuji Machinery Co., Ltd., Ichitan Co., Ltd., Kiryu Industrial Co., Ltd., Subaru Logistics Co., Ltd.
- Group companies overseas:
- Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.