Sustainable Management of CO₂

About SMC » Sustainable Management of CO2 » Eco-Factory

SMC has implemented ISO 14001, the international standards related to environmental management, and began to make organizational efforts in implementing environmentally friendly and energysaving measures at our factories since 1998 (acquired certification in December 1999).

Energy Consumption, CO₂ Emissions and Water Usage

The largest source of CO₂ emissions in SMC’s business activities is from the use of electricity. SMC aims to reduce the emission of CO₂ through the combined effect of its steady energy-saving efforts.

【Reduction of CO₂ emissions (intensity)】

【Water usage】

Use of chemical substances and emissions into the environment

Proper Management of Chemical Substances

SMC strives to eliminate the use of CFCs by switching to alternatives with lower GWP values, and to reduce the overall use of chemical substances (through prevention of evaporation, prevention of removal, and reuse).

【Waste discharge】
【Chemical substance usage】
【Reduction of waste discharge】
【Chemical substance discharge】

About Specified Businesses

SMC is designated as a Specified Business under the Act on Rationalizing Energy Use. Furthermore, our Soka 1st Factory, Tsukuba 1st Factory, Tsukuba Technical Center, Kamaishi Factory, Kamaishi 4th Factory, Tono Factory and Yamatsuri Factory are designated as Designated Energy Management Factories as the energy consumption at each factory for a given business year is 1,500 kL (crude oil equivalent) or more.

Specified Businesses and Designated Energy Management Factories are obliged to establish targets to reduce their energy consumption by 1% or greater per year, as well as to manage energy consumption on an organizational basis and submit periodic reports.

Reduction of Industrial Wastes

SMC practices strict waste sorting and promotes the 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. SMC sells computers and printers, which are no longer used, as material of value to recycle operators and reducing its waste disposal costs.

【Example of sorting】
・plastic waste　・paper　・vinyl chloride　・rubber
・noncombustible items　・corrugated boards

Material Balance

SMC keeps track of the environmental burdens generated through consumption of resources and energy during the design, development and manufacturing of its products.

＊1 CO₂ from production activities is the amount of CO₂ emitted associated with energy usage.
＊2 Recycle refers to the amount that is discharged as material of value and reused and/or recycled as materials and thermal energy.

Designated as a Large-Scale Facility

A regulation regarding annual energy consumption is stipulated in a plan to prevent climate change set forth under Saitama Prefecture’s ordinance. Facilities with energy consumption that exceeds the equivalent of 1,500 kL of crude oil per year for three consecutive years are designated as a large-scale facility and are required to reduce their energy consumption. SMC’s Soka 1st Factory was designated as a large-scale facility in FY2019 as its energy consumption exceeded the equivalent of 1,500 kL for three consecutive years in FY2016–2018

Initiatives at Each Factory

SMC uses flow switches, its own products, to monitor the air flow rates at each factory to enable early detection of air leaks due to equipment failure. SMC is also working on improving energy efficiency. Its effort include the use of mechanisms that automatically shut off the air source during plant downtime, which reduced the use of purge air^∗1 by 30% (compared to our conventional operation).

＊1 The air used to discharge the remaining air from air pipes when a plant starts operation.

Green Procurement

SMC recognizes that conservation of the global environment is a common issue for all humanity and a matter that demands the consideration of management.
SMC will develop and supply environmentally friendly products in order to continually reduce the environmental burdens in accordance with its basic philosophy: “SMC strives to undertake environmental conservation activities through pneumatic technology that contributes to automation in all fields of industry in order to pass down a sustainable global environment to future generations”.
As part of its initiatives, SMC conducts green procurement of products, materials, components, semi-finished goods, secondary materials, and packaging materials used in the design, development and production process.

Sustainable Management of CO₂