Environmental Activities at Operational Sites (Produce) | Resource Efficiency at Operational Sites
Reducing Waste
In 1990, Canon's operational sites in Japan alone generated 35,000 tons of landfill waste. In 2001, we began our zero landfill waste campaign, and as a result of 3R efforts since then to recycle waste by sorting and collecting it by material type, all production sites in Japan had succeeded in generating zero landfill waste*1 as of December 2003. This goal was also achieved by all 17 of our production sites outside Japan as of December 2005.
Subsequent to these breakthroughs, we have maintained a zero landfill waste record at production sites both inside and outside Japan. Since 2009, we have focused on enhancing technologies for the reuse of resources in a bid to further restrict the generation of actual waste.
In 2011, Canon proceeded with various waste reduction efforts at our production sites, such as cutting effluent volume, recycling waste generated in plastic molding processes, reducing press material waste, and reducing parts packaging volume. As a result, we reduced total waste emissions*2 by 8% year-on-year, to 81,000 tons. Waste per unit of sales was also cut by 4% year-on-year, to 2.29 tons per ¥100 million.
In addition to continuing with our waste reduction efforts in 2012, we will work to implement at our other sites measures that have proven successful.
- *1Zero landfill waste
All waste generated from operational sites is recycled. Zero landfill waste is not considered achieved if even a small amount of residue after intermediate processing is subjected to landfill disposal. (Note that this does not include waste material for which Canon cannot independently determine the method for recycling due to government directions.) - *2Total waste emissions
This represents the total amount of recyclable waste, valuable resources, landfill waste and waste reused through internal recycling.
Total Waste Emissions and General Landfill Waste Generated by Business Activities
| Type of Waste | Use after Recycling Treatment | Recycled Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | Cardboard, paper used by OA equipment, toilet paper, pulp (raw material for paper products), building board, roadbed materials, etc. | 19,030.2 |
| Plastics | Raw materials for plastic products and other applications, roadbed materials, cement materials, fuels, blast furnace reducing agents, soil improvement agents, etc. | 15,634.8 |
| Metals | Raw materials for metals, roadbed materials, etc. | 9,965.3 |
| Oils, acids and alkalis | Cement materials, fuels, roadbed materials, reuse of oils, chemicals and solvents, etc. | 12,681.1 |
| Sludge | Cement materials, construction materials, aggregates, metal materials, organic fertilizers, compost, etc. | 4,810.7 |
| Wood | Construction, boards, bedding for plants, fuels, pulp materials, fertilizers, etc. | 1,660.6 |
| Glass and ceramics | Glass materials, roadbed materials, cement, metal materials, etc. | 213.1 |
| Night soil | Fertilizers, soil improvement | 1,116.1 |
| Raw garbage | Fertilizers, compost | 0.0 |
| Others | Combustion aid, roadbed materials, soil improvement agents, iron-making materials, metal materials, etc. | 5,440.6 |
| Total | 70,552.5 | |
- *Océ Group waste data is not included.
Waste Reduction through Reuse of Discarded Plastic (Canon Dalian)
Canon Dalian, which manufactures and recycles toner cartridges, is working to reduce waste by reusing materials from recovered used toner cartridges as well as the plastic discarded during the manufacturing process, in a variety of products.
For example, recovered plastic has been used to make long-lasting plastic pallets to replace the wooden pallets used to transport products. This has reduced the volume of new wooden pallets used by 599 tons per year. Also, the masking pipes used during manufacturing, as well as covers for chair legs and the like, are being reused within the company.
Canon Dalian is also contributing to the community by producing sidewalk tiles and donating them to Canon Hope Schools and senior citizens' homes. These efforts have succeeded in cutting waste emissions by 69 tons annually.
Discarded plastic
Recycled product made from discarded plastic
Top: Plastic pallet
Bottom: Sidewalk tiles
Reducing Use of Water Resources
Approximately 40% of the water Canon uses in its production processes is for lens production and semiconductor manufacturing.
To reduce water use, in 1996 Canon began successively introducing closed wastewater recycling systems at its operational sites, including the Fuji-Susono Research Park, Oita Canon Materials Inc., the Hiratsuka Development Center, the Ayase Office, the Utsunomiya Plant, Canon Zhuhai, Inc., and Oita Canon Inc. By purifying and reusing the water used in production processes, these sites curtail water consumption and generate less wastewater.
Although we have continued with efforts to reduce water use, Canon's water use volume in 2011 remained on par with the previous year at 8.71 million m3, due to such factors as site expansions. Water use per unit of sales was 240 m3/ ¥100 million.
We will continue to reduce both the volume of wastewater and water used in 2012 by including measures to improve water-recycling technologies in our overall effort to raise the level of resource recycling technology.
Use of Water Resources
Total Wastewater Discharge
