Outline of Environmental Impacts

As shown in the material flow chart below, Toshiba Group strives to grasp and analyze all environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of products and services, from the procurement of materials, production and logistics to use by customers, collection and recycling. In FY2010, the Group used the Life-cycle Impact assessment Method based on Endpoint modeling (LIME) to assess the overall impact of resource and energy inputs and emissions of greenhouse gases, chemicals and other substances on the environment. Examined by life-cycle stage, the impacts at the level of resources and raw materials were largest, followed by those of use by consumers and production, respectively. A comparison with the previous year indicates that in FY2010, as production expanded, the impacts of materials procured and production rose, but those of use fell due to the introduction of energy-saving products and other factors. As described above, Toshiba Group considers it important to work effectively to reduce overall environmental impact based on quantitative analyses of environmental impacts at each stage of the life cycle of products and services.

This data was collected from 498 Toshiba Group companies (actual results for FY2010).

figure of Overview of Environmental Impacts

*1: Material inputs are calculated based on the Estimation Method for Material Inputs Using Input-Output Table (EMIOT), a method independently developed by Toshiba Group. EMIOT uses ratios of resources used per unit production, which are prepared based on the Input-Output Table, to calculate total material inputs. One distinctive feature of the method is that input-output analysis is applied only to the flow of resources from upstream to downstream. Another is that the volume of such resources by industrial sector are stored in a database. Using this method, it is possible to calculate weights of input resources by resource type from the data on procurement (monetary value) by resource category, which are gathered by materials procurement divisions. Therefore, data can be gathered not only on direct materials, but also indirect materials. Previously, it was difficult to clarify the amounts of resources in parts made of composite materials or the amounts of resources associated with services. EMIOT has enabled clarification of the amounts of resource inputs by resource type for such materials.
*2: The joule is a unit of energy measuring mechanical work, heat, and electricity. One joule equals about 0.239 calories. 1 TJ = 10¹² J; 1 PJ = 10¹⁵ J
*3: In this table, the CO₂ emission coefficient for electricity in Japan is 3.50 t-CO₂/10,000 kWh.
*4: The volume of hydrogen fluoride and its water-soluble salt emitted into hydrosphere in FY2009 was zero because hydrogen fluoride used became non-water-soluble salt through post-use treatment.