Home > About Toshiba > Social and Environmental Activities > Environmental Management > Greening of Process > Management of Chemical: Purification of Soil and Groundwater
Purification of Soil and Groundwater
Soil and groundwater purification
Toshiba Group is working to purify contaminated soil and groundwater by ascertaining the present condition of soil and groundwater at its business sites. The Group is also taking safety measures for environment-related equipment to prevent contamination with chemicals and reduce environmental risks. A survey of all business sites confirmed contamination at 17 sites, where soil and groundwater contamination with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has been purified, and the results are being monitored. VOCs in groundwater are collected and eliminated mainly using the water pumping method.
Toshiba Group uses the water pumping method to purify soil and groundwater mainly in areas with high concentration of VOCs, but if the VOC concentration in such areas is lowered due to progress in purification, the Group still plans to maintain the amount of VOCs collected at 1,000 kg/year or more by taking such measures as stepping up water pumping efforts in other areas with relatively high VOC concentrations. In FY2010, approximately 1,300 kg of VOCs were collected. The amount collected decreased slightly compared to the previous year because the amount of VOCs collected per liter of water pumped is gradually decreasing due to reduced VOC concentrations resulting from purification. In the future, Toshiba Group will continue to advance soil and groundwater purification using appropriate methods, taking into account world trends in the progress of purification technology. At the same time, it will strive to ensure full communication with local governments and residents in neighboring areas through tours of purification facilities and other public relations activities.
Purification of soil and groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds
| Business site | Location | Progress in purification | Purification method*1 | Amount collected*2(kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fukaya Operations, Toshiba Corp. | Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture | Being monitored*3 | A | — |
| Toshiba Electric Appliances Co., Ltd. | Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture | Being monitored | D, F | — |
| Former site of Asia Electronics Inc.'s Yokohama Operations | Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture | Being monitored | A, E, G | — |
| Komukai Operations, Toshiba Corp. | Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture | Purification in progress | A, G | 94.4 |
| Microelectronics Center, Toshiba Corp. | Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture | Purification in progress | A | 11.5 |
| Himeji Operations (Semiconductors), Toshiba Corp. | Taishi Town, Ibo County, Hyogo Prefecture | Being monitored (North district) | D, F, G | — |
| Purification in progress | A | 278.2 | ||
| Himeji Operations, Toshiba Corp. | Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture | Work in progress that will allow purification measures to be taken | C, E, F | — |
| Oita Operations, Toshiba Corp. | Oita City, Oita Prefecture | Purification in progress | A | 1.1 |
| Fuji Operation Center, Toshiba Carrier Corp. | Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture | Purification in progress | A, B | 267.3 |
| Tsuyama Operation Center, Toshiba Carrier Corp. | Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture | Purification in progress | A, B | 2.0 |
| Former site of Toshiba Components Co., Ltd.' s Yokohama Works | Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture | Purification in progress | A | 0.2 |
| Kawamata Seiki Co., Ltd. | Kawamata Town, Date County, Fukushima Prefecture | Purification in progress | A | 0.1 |
| Kitashiba Electric Co., Ltd. | Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture | Purification in progress | A | 0.3 |
| Former site of Toshiba Shomei Precision Corp.' s Kawasaki Works | Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture | Being monitored | A, B, F | — |
| Former site of Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corp.' s Iwase Works | Sakuragawa City, Ibaraki Prefecture | Purification in progress | A | 0.1 |
| Ibaraki Plant, Lighting Device & Fixture Corp. | Joso City, Ibaraki Prefecture | Being monitored | A | — |
| Kimitsu Operations, Toshiba Components Co., Ltd. | Kimitsu City, Chiba Prefecture | Purification in progress | A, B | 674.8 |
- *1
- Purification method: (A) groundwater pumping, (B) soil gas suction, (C) reduction decomposition, (D) oxidation decomposition, (E) interception containment, (F) removal by excavating soil, and (G) bio-activation.
- *2
- Amount collected: Amount collected from April 2010 to March 2011.
- *3
- Monitoring: Monitoring to confirm how things develop after work that will allow measures to be taken or purification is completed.
Amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) collected (17 locations listed above)
Case Study: Environmental measures / Himeji Operations, Toshiba Corp.
In May 2009, Toshiba Corp.'s Himeji Operations took the opportunity to retire some of the manufacturing units on its premises and start soil investigations of its own accord. Since April 2010, based on the results of these investigations, Himeji Operations has taken measures to remove volatile organic compounds and heavy metals from the soil in cooperation with the relevant government agencies.
Case Study in FY2009
Case Study: Environmental measures / Fuji Operations, Toshiba Carrier Corporation
The Fuji Operations of Toshiba Carrier Corp. took the opportunity of modifying some of its buildings to dig and remove soil contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic compounds. The removal work was completed in January 2010.
Case Study in FY2008
Case Study: Environmental measures taken at the former site of Toshiba HA Products Co., Ltd.'s Osaka Works
Wastewater treatment facility
It was confirmed that the soil at the former site of Toshiba HA Products Co., Ltd.'s Osaka Works contained organic chlorine compounds and other substances in excess of environmental standards, and work to deal with these substances, mainly removal by excavating soil, began in April 2008. It was completed in June 2009.
Mitigation of Climate Change
Management of Chemicals
Effective Use of Resources
Environmental Management for Factories
- Purification of Soil and Groundwater
- Preventing Contamination
- Environmental Liabilities
- Management of PCB
Recycling of End-of-Life Products
