• Management: Environmental Management
  • Energy: Initiatives in the Energy-related Fields
  • Eco Products: Environmentally Conscious Products
  • Eco Processes: Environmental Considerations in Business Operations
  • Eco Programs: Communication with Stakeholders

Management of Chemicals

Reducing emissions of chemicals and managing the volume of chemicals used

Toshiba Group classifies standards for the handling of chemical substances into the three categories of prohibition, reduction, and control and manages chemical substances according to the regulations established for each category. The relationship between substance ranking and management classifications, which shows the concept underlying this initiative, is indicated in the figure below. Approximately 2,000 types of chemical substances are classified into three ranks (hazard level A, B, and C) based on the regulatory levels set by environmental legislation, data on carcinogenic chemicals, and other factors. The classifications of prohibition, reduction, and control are determined by judging risks for each chemical substance using the product of the ranking of the substance and emissions equivalent to exposure to the substance. The concept of risk management in which the risk posed by a substance is expressed as the product of the hazard and the exposure level is applied though it is a quasi-risk assessment approach.

Substance ranking and management classifications

chart of Substance ranking and management classifications
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Substance rank
Rank A: Substances whose manufacture/use is prohibited by laws and regulations
Rank B: Substances whose quality standards are specified or whose quantity of use is required to be reported by laws and regulations or whose carcinogenicity rank is 1 or 2
Rank C: Substances that are mentioned in laws and regulations but subject to relatively few restrictions or whose carcinogenicity rank is 3

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Action Standards according to Control Classification

The table shows the action standards for each control classification. We do not permit purchase of any substance whose use is prohibited. For substances whose emissions are to be reduced, our target is to achieve a 54% reduction in the amount emitted in fiscal 2012 compared with fiscal 2000, so as to reduce their environmental impacts. We are conducting appropriate control in accordance with the risks associated with individual substances.

Control classification Prohibition of purchase Control in accordance with the plan to reduce the amount of emissions Material balance control*1 Handling control**2/ Facilities control*3 Assessment*4/ Compliance with relevant laws (including emission standards)
Prohibited substances applicable - - - -
Substances whose emissions are to be reduced not applicable applicable applicable applicable applicable
Substances whose use is to be controlled Control of the amount of emissions not applicable not applicable applicable applicable applicable
Control of the amount of use not applicable not applicable not applicable applicable applicable
Control whether the substance is used or not not applicable not applicable not applicable not applicable applicable
*1
Material balance control:In accordance with Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR)
*2
*3
Facilities control:Compliance with Toshiba's Environmental Structural Design Guidelines
Handling control:Compliance with Ordinance On Prevention of Organic Solvent Poisoning, Ordinance on Prevention of Hazards due to Specified Chemical Substances, etc.
*4
Assessment:Assessment prior to the purchase of new chemical substances