[muRata] Chemical Substances Management and Emissions Reduction

Among the various chemical substances used in Murata's production processes, 354 are included in the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR). Of these, the Murata Group in Japan handled 24 substances, including toluene and xylene, in quantities exceeding one ton.

(tons/year)

PRTR No.	Chemical name	Amount handled	Emissions				Amount transferred
PRTR No.	Chemical name	Amount handled	Air emissions	Releases into public waterways	Soil	Landfill	Release into sewerage systems	Waste transfer	Recycling transfer
16	Monoethanolamine	14.5	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	12.0
25	Antimony and its compounds	1.6	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5
30	Liquid bisphenol A epoxy resin	35.4	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.3
40	Ethylbenzene	6.1	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.7
45	Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether	38.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	26.5
58	1-Octanol	3.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2
63	Xylene	182.5	3.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	119.6
64	Silver and its water-soluble compounds	102.7	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	5.5
68	Chromium and chromium(III) compounds	1.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5
100	Cobalt and its compounds	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1
177	Styrene	1.2	0.6	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2
207	Copper salts	1.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
227	Toluene	4857.8	41.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	303.5
230	Lead and its compounds	585.1	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	106.0
231	Nickel	797.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	81.5
232	Nickel compounds	123.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	47.5
253	Hydrazine	1377.6	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	536.4
270	Di-n-butyl phthalate	13.1	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	4.6
272	Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate	76.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	29.5
300	1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic 1,2-anhydride	1.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1
304	Boron and its compounds	15.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	13.2
310	Formaldehyde	8.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
311	Manganese and its compounds	42.9	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	4.7

–Waste transfer amounts became recycling amounts in fiscal 2004, as a result of achieving zero emissions during fiscal 2003.

About VOCs

VOCs are chemical substances that cause atmospheric pollution through photochemical reactions generating oxidants or suspended particulate matter.

About Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTOs)

RTOs combust VOCs at temperatures of 800°C or above to achieve 98% decomposition or detoxification.

Regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs)

In fiscal 2006, Murata operated nine exhaust-gas treatment units, including regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) at its Yasu and Yokaichi Plants. This enabled us to set a target of 3% or more reduction in VOC atmospheric emissions compared with fiscal 2000 levels. Although initially the introduction of this equipment allowed the Company to attain reductions as planned, increased production has led to an increase of 10% over fiscal 2000 (an 18 percentage point decrease from the previous fiscal year).

In fiscal 2007, we are aiming to bring annual VOC atmospheric emissions back to fiscal 2000 levels. We will achieve this by reinforcing process management and promoting strategies to restrain usage volumes and atmospheric emissions.

itons/yearj

Chemical name	Fiscal 2000	Fiscal 2004	Fiscal 2005	Fiscal 2006
Toluene	67.4	26.4	30.7	41.0
Xylene	6.4	3.6	2.0	3.7

About PFCs

PFCs are greenhouse gasses. Murata does not use any PFCs targeted for reduction under the Kyoto Protocol, but is endeavoring to reduce those slated for management as chemical substances with detrimental environmental impact.

Murata's production processes also emit PFCs, which are greenhouse gases. In fiscal 2006, in pursuit of a goal of a 50% or more reduction compared with fiscal 2002 levels, we attained a decrease of 30%, or 96 tons. We will continue our endeavors toward this target.

Atmospheric emissions of PFCs

Among the chemical substances used in our production processes, those with the potential to greatly affect the environment are targeted under Murata's voluntary regulation program, which was established in 1997, for reduction or elimination. Under the program, 157 chemical substance groups are ranked according to their degree of hazard as suitable for Prohibition, Reduction or Preparation for Reduction.

Rank		Environmentally Hazardous Substance
Prohibition	Prohibit use	Asbestos Cadmium and its compounds Dioxins Trichloroethylene Benzene HCFC Mercury and its compounds Organolead Organotin Pentachlorophenol (PCP) Polychlorinated naphthalenes (Cl 3 3) 1,1,1-Trichloroethylene Chlordane Heptachlor Carbon Tetrachloride HBFCs	Azo compounds Metallic nickel Lead carbonate Bromochlorodifluoromethane (halone) CFCs Acrylonitrile Arsenic and its compounds (excluding semiconductors) Hexavalent chromium compounds Organophosphorus compounds Polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs) Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) Endrin Toxaphene Lindane Red phosphorus and red-phosphorus-based flame retardants Methyl bromide
		Lead and its compounds (copper alloy with more than 4% lead content, steel with more than 0.35% lead content, and aluminum with more than 0.4% lead content)
		Short Chain Length Chlorinated Paraffins PBDEs	PBBs
Reduction	Systematically reduce use	Acetaldehyde Cyanide compounds Nickel sulfate	Chloroform Formaldehyde
		Lead and its compounds (for use in some ceramics, solder, etc.)
		Toluene PFC Ethanol	Xylene 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) n-Heptane
Preparation for reduction	Control and voluntarily prepare to reduce use	Zinc and its compounds Copper and its compounds Methyl ethyl ketone	Chromium and its compounds Nickel powder
		Lead and its compounds (for use in some ceramics, glass, alloys, etc.)
		Arsenic and its compounds (for use in semiconductors only)
		Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether
		Propylene glycol monomethyl ether
		Propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate
		Iso Butanol Ethanol Isopropyl benzene (cumene) Cyclopentanone Ethyl benzene 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene 2-heptanone	Benzyl alcohol 1-Octanol Butyl acetate Mineral spirits Styrene 2-Aminoethanol n-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone