Takasago Chemical Corporation's Kakegawa Factory is the manufacturing base primarily responsible for synthesis operations for the Takasago Group. Its main manufacturing category is organic electronic materials (OPCs) and pharmaceutical intermediates. We use proprietary catalytic technologies to improve reaction efficiency to reduce environmental loads, starting from the initial design of processes. After use, organic solvents are collected and reused. We also try to keep industrial waste to a minimum and make a special effort to contribute to the local community by joining in cleanups of illegally dumped waste in the area.
Eco action begins by halting wasteful uses of resources
For its ISO environmental impact goals, the Kakegawa Factory has placed top priority on reducing its use of power for utilities and use of heavy oil as fuel by managing specific consumption of energy.
We have converted over to a thermal storage system using ice for our chillers that takes advantage of nighttime electricity. We also switched to an inverter-equipped stirrer motor and other equipment to save energy. We installed movement sensors for room lighting and began using a checklist to institutionalize the practice of saving energy.
We have been able to save a significant amount of energy simply by eliminating wasteful uses, which has simultaneously lowered CO2 emissions. We also implemented a strict rule for ordering dry ice in required amounts only when needed to make inroads on dry ice used annually for manufacturing and experiments.
Significantly reducing environmental impact through technological innovation
Pharmaceutical intermediates and functional materials are fine chemical products that often have a complex synthesis path, which causes a large amount of waste to be produced along the way.
At the Kakegawa Factory we apply innovative technologies developed by Takasago to help reduce environmental impact. We reassessed the process of manufacturing with regard to organic electronic materials (OPCs) and came up with a new method of selectively synthesizing only useful substances, which shortened the synthesis process.
We also reduced our energy consumption dramatically. Environmentally hazardous phosphates were once a by-product of the manufacturing process, but today the by-product is environmentally innocuous mineral salts.
We consider it essential to meet our responsibilities toward Responsible Care as a chemical manufacturer by applying innovative technologies to reduce energy and resource consumption. In these and other ways we are able to boost production efficiency and reduce the volume of by-products (industrial waste) that result from the manufacturing process.
Ensuring a stable supply of water for industrial use with an alternative water source
At one time the Kakegawa Factory relied on water pumped up from a single underground source. But in 2009, we built a large-scale reservoir facility to intake water for industrial use from the Oi river system located approximately 2 kilometers away. At present, the water use from these two locations is about 50:50.
Promoting green chemistry by linking research and production
At the technical research laboratory where technologies are scaled up for industrial use, researchers perform experiments and make and test prototypes of newly developed manufacturing technologies. They also work to design efficient processes.
Controlling air pollution with high-performance scrubbers
"In fiscal 2008, in an effort to better control any odor leakage or release of noxious substances, we replaced one of seven currently operating scrubbers with a new scrubber that eliminates nitrogen oxide (NOx), a substance that causes air pollution. We also newly installed a dedicated scrubber that prevents the release of trichlorosilane and its resolvent, hydrogen chloride, into the air." said Motoshige Takaba Manager of Environmental Management Section.
Implementing environmental measures one after another
Since acquiring ISO 14001 certification in 2005, our employees have gained a greater awareness of the environment. In recent years, we have not only been compling with the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of their Manufacture, etc., but also been doing as much as possible on other fronts. We take measures such as collecting worn out safety shoes for recycling, and we reusing organic solvents. We have also doubled our effluent treatment capacity, as part of investing in environmentally sound infrastructure." said Kazuhiro Kobayashi Chief of Environmental Management Section.
