Material Flows and Investments in Environmental Protection

The figure below shows inputs, including raw materials and energy, and outputs that are products and emissions released into the environment.

The Group is working to reduce its impact on the environment by means of waste reduction and resource savings through promoting more efficient use of raw materials, energy, and water. We have also been advancing CO₂ emissions reduction through our carbon neutral efforts.

In fiscal 2022, the sudden increase in production volume in the wake of COVID-19 slowed down, and social circumstances like the situation in Ukraine have also impacted production volume, resulting in a decrease in raw material input and product sales volume compared to fiscal 2021.

On the other hand, the switch to electricity derived from renewable energy sources that began from fiscal 2021 and the active promotion of solar power generation on the company's remises from fiscal 2022 made greenhouse gas (CO₂) emissions much lower than the drop in our production activities.

From this report, we also began disclosing the amount of emissions of VOC^*8 included in our chemical substance emissions.

Through the ongoing activities of our Group, we are contributing to the response to aspects of climate change such as warming by working to effect reductions in outputs that affect the environment, with respect to increases in input.