Chemical substances are necessary as raw materials for Murata's electronic components. Although the quantities included in each individual component are minute, end products may be mounted with hundreds or even thousands components. Inappropriately discarding the items along with the waste end product can significantly impact the global environment.

Accordingly, Murata aims to reduce its environmental impact throughout the product lifecycle, from procurement of raw materials for components through to disposal and recycling of end products, and is striving to reduce the content of hazardous chemical substances contained in its products.

The EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (the “RoHS Directive”) went into effect in July 2006. This restricts six substances used in electrical and electronic equipment. To ensure swift response to this and other global regulations, Murata formulated the “Regulation Program for Environmentally Hazardous Substances” to establish its own regulation in 1996, aiming for the reduction and abolition of hazardous chemical substances. Moreover, we reviewed administrative processes throughout the Group's divisions to ensure compliance by relevant employees in their daily operations.

For example, production departments, as well as the Development Design Department, register in a Groupwide database all restricted substances and all chemical substances permited for use in the Company, thus constructing a system to prevent the ordering of substances prohibited by legislation or in-house regulations. Furthermore, we implement a chemical substance management system for suppliers, with much care and cooperation to ensure its smooth application. At the production and shipment stages, we keep records of compliance with rules during manufacture, allowing confirmation that shipped products abide by the laws and regulations of their destinations.

Through such measures, Murata is eliminating regulated substances in the design development, materials procurement, production and shipment stages, ensuring consideration for the global environment throughout its overall production process.

The EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulations, necessitating the registration of several tens of thousands of chemicals sold within the European Union, came into force in June 2007. To fully respond to these new Regulations, every company must individually manage its own chemical substances. However, ultimately the best solution is the construction of a consistent industry-wide management system.

Accordingly, in September 2006 Murata and other like-minded corporations established the Japan Article Management Promotion-consortium (JAMP^*1). This body aims to establish of a standards system to facilitate smooth conveyance of data on chemical substances in various parts and materials from upstream industries that produce chemical materials to downstream industries manufacturing end products. For electronic components makers, positioned between these two extremes, this represents a policy of providing know-how and information.

In terms of quality and environmental consideration, Murata will continue to strive to realize a society with peace of mind for all people using electronic and electrical products.

*1 JAMP:
An active cross-industrial organization to formulate and spread concrete measures to facilitate proper management and smooth disclosure and communications throughout the supply chain of data on chemical substances contained in articles (parts and molded components).