Aiming to be a neighbor-friendly factory

We are very careful about odors emanating from individual facilities. Where coffee is roasted, we use a deodorizing method that burns up odor and decomposes the odor molecules. At our waste retaining site, activated carbon is used in deodorizing equipment to adsorb odors. In this way we use deodorizing equipment to match the facility or manufacturing process, and twice a year measure odor in exhaust steam.
Not only do we take environmental measures inside our facilities, but we also carry out neighborhood efforts. To improve communication with people in the neighborhood, we patrol the perimeter of the factory to check for odors, clean roadside ditches outside the premises, and during local festivals provide a rest area for the public. We also raise employee awareness about the factory's ISO-based environmental policy. Fully aware that neglect of environmental issues would pose a threat to continuing business operations, we place top priority on measures to protect the environment.
In fiscal 2009 we began an even more advanced "odor elimination project." This project is a three-year plan aimed at preventing odor generation and odor dispersion from the factory by inspecting the sources of odors, making improvements, and taking measures to prevent their spread.

Not merely "Kaizen for the sake of Kaizen"

At the Hiratsuka Factory, we have set up an "Executive Inspection Day," a surprise inspection by the general manager at different points around the factory each month to check the status of the 5S/Kaizen* activities in daily operations. The reason for surprise inspections is to encourage the natural implementation of 5S/Kaizen activities in daily business operations rather than an artificial implementation only to satisfy inspection. The mission of the Hiratsuka Factory is based on the pursuit of business in tandem with environmental protection. A crucial requirement in carrying out this mission is to provide guidance to assure that kaizen activities are not merely carried out for their own sake. Today, we solicit the cooperation of all of our employees in environmental endeavors, making these efforts enjoyable to participate in. We also communicate to them how a factory must be run based on scientific principles as we move forward with efforts in this area.

The 5S's are: seiri (sorting), seiton (setting in order), seiso (systematic cleanup), seiketsu (sanitizing), and shitsuke (sustainable discipline). The entire Takasago group carries out kaizen activities in which the employees themselves create and propose plans to address points requiring improvement in 5S and business activities.

Odor Prevention Measures

We do everything in our capacity to prevent odor dispersion from our wastewater treatment facility and waste retaining site.

The wastewater from every Takasago plant is processed as activated sludge and released into the public sewage system only after environmental criteria have been met. In fiscal 2008 we eliminated odor leakage from the balancing tanks at our wastewater treatment facility by installing stainless steel lids.
We followed a recommendation for odor patrols of the landfill site where we amass plastic containers, cans filled with raw materials, and bottles of samples. We built a tent-style warehouse to hold strong-smelling waste and installed two activated carbon deodorizing towers in the warehouse to prevent odors from leaking out. Odors are measured in all of the deodorizing towers at the Hiratsuka Factory twice a year. Activated carbon is replenished to prevent the spread of odors whenever necessary.

Action to Reduce Environmental Impact

The adoption of battery-powered vehicles and painting the outside walls of the warehouse help to reduce CO2 emissions and create an environmentally friendly plant.

At the Hiratsuka Factory many different efforts are helping to reduce CO2 emissions.
In fiscal 2009, three diesel-powered forklifts were converted to battery power, thereby reducing CO2 by approximately 32%. Now, about one-third of the forklifts used in the factory are battery-powered and more will be converted in the future.
In 2008, we painted the outside walls and roof of our disaster prevention warehouse with a high-reflection paint, creating an effective heat shield. Then in 2009 we painted the outside walls of our hazardous materials warehouse and one delivery center product warehouse. This effort has improved the effectiveness of air conditioning and reduced energy consumption.