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Responsible Care Report 2003 Edition

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Responsible Care Report 2003 Edition Responsible Care ResponsibleResponsible CareCare ReportReport 20032003 EditionEdition EnvironmentalEnvironmental Preservation,Preservation, ProductProduct Safety,Safety, OperationalOperational Safety,Safety, WWorkplaceorkplace HygieneHygiene andand HealthHealth For life, living, and the living environment. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT The constant transformation which the Asahi In fiscal 2002 (ended March 31, 2003) Kasei Group has undergone ever since its particular emphasis was placed on establishment is the result of a directed investigating the cause of the March 2002 fire evolution and growth in accord with the times, at our Leona™ nylon 66 filament plant and and our products in the fields of chemicals, performing a thorough and comprehensive pharmaceuticals, fibers, electronics, housing, inspection of all plants to ensure against the construction materials, and consumer goods possibility of any such incident ever recurring. now find use in practically every area of human In July we implemented a month-long activity. campaign to heighten awareness and preparedness for operational safety, in August The ecological sustainability of our wide- we implemented special audits, and in ranging operations is ensured in accord with September we held operational safety the Basic Credo of the Asahi Kasei Group, conferences region by region. Plant repairs which includes contribution to human life and and modifications to address potential human livelihood as a basic tenet. problems were implemented based on priority of risk. In fiscal 2003, this program We consider proactive measures related to the of remediation will continue with items of lower environment and the management of urgency until all potential problems have been hazardous chemical substances, including addressed. prevention of global warming and the promotion of a recycling-oriented society, to In October 2003 the management be of the highest import for the sustainability of configuration of the Asahi Kasei Group will operations of the Asahi Kasei Group. As an transform to one of a holding company essential part of our corporate responsibility and seven constituent operating corporations. both domestically and internationally, we will We believe this will further enhance our continue our concerted Responsible Care ESH performance as the preparation of plans effort for improvement in environmental and review of results at each organizational preservation, product safety, operational level will be autonomous and self- safety, and workplace hygiene and health sustaining, reinforced by the independent (ESH) throughout all corporate activities from oversight of the larger organization. R&D to production and marketing. As a measure to build trust and We have long been committed to the understanding, an important aspect of our securement of environmental protection, Responsible Care program is the open product safety, and operational safety for our provision of information regarding ESH issues employees, the communities in which we in the Asahi Kasei Group. This report work, and the general public, through our describing the state of our ESH program and comprehensive ESH efforts. We have reduced efforts during fiscal 2002 is the latest in a the environmental burden of our operations, series of reports we publish each year, as a improved product safety informed by careful key element of our Responsible Care initiative. determination of potentially harmful effects, I hope you will find it informative, and welcome and enhanced operational safety throughout any questions or comments you may have. the corporation. In each of these areas, we have committed our material and intellectual resources to the advancement of environmental protection, product safety, and workplace hygiene and health. The 1995 introduction of our Responsible Care initiative, inclusive of all ESH-related issues, brought Shiro Hiruta greater thoroughness and vitality to the President comprehensive effort. June 2003 Responsible Care Contents Asahi Kasei Group Overview 1 History of Growth 2 Basic Credo of the Asahi Kasei Group 3 Asahi Kasei Responsible Care Principles 4 Responsible Care Initiative of the Asahi Kasei Group 5 Environmental Protection 12 Product Safety 31 Physical Integrity and Safe Operation 35 Workplace Safety, Hygiene, and Health 38 Education and Training Systems 40 Awards in Recognition of ESH Results 42 Shiraoi Plant Community Outreach 43 Operations with Responsible Care 45 Supplementary Data 46 Independent Review Report 48 Mizushima Office Moriyama Office Sakai Plant Matsudo Plant Tokyo Head Office Oita Plant Kawasaki Office Hozumi Plant Nagoya Plant Iwakuni Plant Osaka Head Office Kakegawa Plant Chikushino Plant Wakayama Plant Chiba Plant Suzuka Plant Ohito Office Fuji Office Nobeoka Office Asahi Kasei Group 2003 Responsible Care Report The Japanese Ministry of the Environment’s Environment Report Guidelines, 2000 edition, were consulted during the preparation of this report. The content of this report is not limited to environmental protection, but comprises information related to all of our Responsible Care measures, including product safety, operational safety, and workplace hygiene and health. We have revised the content of the report based on the feedback that we have received from readers of previous years’ reports, added a new Supplementary Data section, and enhanced the presentation of information for greater ease of understanding. The purview of the report includes all domestic operations of Asahi Kasei and the operations of Asahi Kasei Group companies implementing our common Responsible Care program, including certain overseas operations, shown on p. 45. Although the primary focus of the report is fiscal 2002 (April 1, 2002 to March 31, 2003), some information pertaining to events subsequent to the end of the fiscal year has also been included. This report is published each year in June. Our first ESH report was published in 1992, and we have published reports each year since 1997. Asahi Kasei Group Overview Overview Asahi Kasei Group Although the Asahi Kasei Group is classified consolidated sales, with the remainder of as an industrial chemical enterprise, operations comprising the final third. operations span a wide range of fields other While most of these operations entail the than chemicals, including housing, production of materials which are used by construction materials, fibers, electronics, other manufacturers, some finished products health care, and liquors. As shown below, for consumer use are also produced, primarily Initiative of the Responsible Care Asahi Kasei Group chemical and chemical-related operations and home-use products such as Saran Wrap™ housing and construction materials operations and Ziploc™ and housing products such as each comprise roughly one third of Hebel Haus™. Protection Environmental Consolidated net sales Major products 1,500,000 1,269,414 1,195,393 1,193,614 Chemical and Chemical-related 1,200,000 •Ammonia, nitric acid, caustic soda, high-compound fertilizers, acrylonitrile 900,000 (AN), styrene monomer, methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer, polymethyl methacrylate, Suntec™ polyethylene (PE), Polystyrene (PS), Stylac™-AS Product Safety 600,000 styrene-acrylonitrile, Stylac™-ABS acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, SB latex, Millions of yen synthetic rubber, thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). •Tenac™ polyacetal, Xyron™ modified polyphenylene ether (mPPE), 300,000 Leona™ nylon 66, molding machine purging agent. •Adipic acid, cyclohexanol, Duranate™ non-yellowing polyisocyanate, 0 aluminum paste, nitrocellulose, epoxy resin, acrylic latex, and other coating 20002001 2002 materials. Fiscal year •Saran Wrap™ food wrapping films, Ziploc™ food storage bags, films, Safe Operation sheets, foams. Physical Integrity and •Ceolus™ and Avicel™ microcrystalline cellulose, industrial cleaning agents, bonded anchors, industrial explosives, defense explosives, metal cladding, Consolidated group employees APR™ photosensitive resins, AFP™ photosensitive plates, printing plate 30,000 making systems, Microza™ ultrafiltration and microfiltration membranes and 26,695 26,227 25,730 systems, Hipore™ fine porous membranes, ion-exchange membranes, 25,000 electrolysis and electrodialysis systems. Workplace Safety, 20,000 Hygiene, and Health Housing and Construction Materials 15,000 •Hebel Haus™ houses, Hebel Maison™ apartments, condominiums, 10,000 remodeling real estate, residential land development. •Hebel™ autoclaved lightweight concrete (ALC) panels, piles, Neoma™ 5,000 foam insulation panels, artificial fish reefs. Education and 0 Training Systems 2000 2001 2002 Fibers and Textiles Fiscal year •Polyester filament, Bemberg™ cuprammonium rayon, Roica™ elastic polyurethane filament, Leona™ nylon 66 filament, Eltas™ spunbond, Net sales by sector, fiscal 2002 Bemliese™ nonwoven cellulose filament, Lamous™ artificial suede, Solo™ polytrimethylene terephthalate. Liquors, Services and Others Awards in ESH Results Recognition of 4% Health Care Electronics 9% •Sunfort™ photosensitive dry film resist (DFR), Pimel™ photosensitive Electronics polyimide, LSIs, Hall elements, pellicles, glass fabric 6% Outreach Health Care Community Chemical and Fibers and Textiles Chemical-related •Elcitonin™, Bredinin™, and other pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical 9% 40% intermediates, diagnostic reagents, feed additives, Planova™ virus removal filters, artificial kidneys, Sepacell™ leukocyte reduction filters, blood and plasma filters, contact lenses. Housing and Construction Materials 32% Liquors, Services
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