Honda Worldwide | Promotion of Green Factories

CONTENTSResults of Environmental Conservation Activities in Fiscal 2004Production DomainPromotion of Green Factories

Promotion of Green Factories

In the production domain, Honda has aggressively reduced the use of energy and resources and made progress to zero emissions based on Green Factory Plan.

Main targets for fiscal 2004 in Japan		Main achievements in fiscal 2004 in Japan
	Energy consumption unit: 21.8% reduction over the fiscal 1990 level		Energy consumption unit: 23.6% reduction over the fiscal 1990 level
	CO2 emissions: 481,000 CO2-tons		CO2 emissions: 468,000 CO2-tons
	Waste recycling rate: 97%		Waste recycling rate: 97.6%
	In-house incineration of waste: 65% reduction over the fiscal 1998 level		In-house incineration of waste: 70% reduction over the fiscal 1998 level
	VOC emissions (automobile production): 33.0 g/m²		VOC emissions (automobile production): 32.8 g/m²

* The “production domain” section covers five factories in Japan—Saitama, Tochigi, Hamamatsu, Suzuka, and Kumamoto—and the Automobile New Model Center in Tochigi.

Energy and Resource Saving

Targets and Progress for Fiscal 2010 on Promoting Energy Saving

Targets

Note: Energy consumption unit values are now shown as indices (FY 1990:100).
The fiscal 2002 energy consumption unit shown in the previous report was erroneous and has been corrected.

To reduce energy consumption unit by 30% over the fiscal 1990 level by fiscal 2010

Progress

In fiscal 2004, energy consumption unit decreased by 23.6%, exceeding the target of 21.8% reduction over the fiscal 1990 level.

Energy saving

* CO2 conversion factors have been fixed since fiscal 1990.

* Starting from fiscal 1999, ATV’s, which were previously classified as
a products, have been reclassified as a motorcycles.

CO2 emissions attributed to energy use in the production domain came to 467,600 CO2-tons in fiscal 2004, up 5.1% from the previous year’s level (445,000 CO2-tons) (a 24.0% reduction over the fiscal 1990 level). CO2 emissions were thus reduced by 2.8% compared with the numerical target of 481,000 tons. These results were mainly due to increase in production, the influence of the weather, and the implementation of measures shown in the upper right section.
As future measures, Honda will promote further energy conservation, introduce new energy sources, and efficiently control energy use through LCA activities to further reduce energy consumption.

Main Energy-Saving Measures

• Reduction by streamlining various production processes
• More efficient operation of cogeneration units
• Reduction in standby electricity for robots
• Reduction in energy use by introducing highly efficient freezing machines
• Reduction in air pressure
• Replacement with energy saving burners for alloy furnaces
• Changeover of fuels for freezing machines (from kerosene to LNG)
• Introduction of highly efficient boilers

Introduction of new energy source

Note: Photovoltaic power generation (power generation field) and natural gas cogeneration (new form of use), as defined in the New Energy Law, are targeted as new energy types.

Power generation using new energy source came to 80.2 million kWh in the production domain in fiscal 2004, accounting for approximately 10% of total electricity consumption.

Greenhouse gas emissions

In fiscal 2004, greenhouse gas emissions in the production domain came to 477,000 tons in CO2 equivalent.

Greenhouse gas emission

• CO2 emissions from energy consumption and waste incineration: 471,000 CO2-tons
• Emissions of greenhouse gases other than CO2: 6,000 CO2-tons

Note: The emission of greenhouse gases was calculated according to the guidelines provided by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan. The greenhouse gases include CO2, CH4, N2O, HFC, PFC, and SF6.

Resource saving (water use)

Note: In this fiscal 2004 report, water consumption unit values are shown as indices (FY 2000:100).

Water use at domestic factories in fiscal 2004 totaled 4,731,000 m³. Water use decreased 10% from the 2000 level. Water saving was achieved by the following measures.

Water Saving Measures Taken in Fiscal 2004

• Collection of blow-down water from cooling towers
• Full-scale operation of equipment to recycle cooling water used in the forging process
• Further utilization of rainwater

Zero Emissions

Reduction in waste (by-products)

* Excluding burnt residues

Continued from the previous year, zero off-site landfill was achieved at all domestic factories in fiscal 2004. In addition, we are making efforts to reduce the total amount of by-products and the amount of waste incinerated.
The amount of waste incinerated was approximately 4,400 tons, down 70%, achieving the target of a 65% reduction over the fiscal 1998 level. We will further reduce waste incineration by improving waste segregation and aggressively reduce the total amount of by-products, notably by preventing their generation at the sources.
The plan for reducing the generation of byproducts, which was developed based on the Law concerning the Promotion of the Utilization of Recycled Resources, sets the target for fiscal 2005 as shown in the upper right graph. In fiscal 2004, the generation of byproducts decreased by 4% from the fiscal 2001 level.

Prevention of air and water pollution

Gas emissions from combustion systems and factory wastewater are closely monitored to maintain air and water quality at the level of our voluntary standards, which are more stringent than the regulations . (For specific measurement results, refer to “Factory Data”.)

Volatile organic compound (VOC)*

* VOCs mainly consist of organic solvents contained in paints and adhesives. VOCs remain toxic for a long time, and cause the depletion of the ozone layer in the stratosphere and photochemical smog in the troposphere. Therefore, VOCs are regulated in many countries around the world.

The major source of VOC emissions is paint solvents used on automobiles. In fiscal 2004, we measured VOC emissions at Saitama, Suzuka, and Tochigi Factories. In fiscal 2004, the average VOC emissions from these factories were 32.8g/m2, down 1% from the previous fiscal year. The reduction was achieved by the following measures.

VOC Reduction Measures Taken in Fiscal 2004

• Exhaustive reduction in waste and loss (improvement in the recovery of thinners for cleaning, etc.)
• Improvement in coating efficiency
• Introduction of water-based paints (to paint the Legend at Saitama Factory)
• Integration of production lines (transferring the production models of Tochigi Factory to Suzuka Factory)

We will further reduce VOC emissions by such measures as expanding the use of water-based paints.

Chemical emission (PRTR)*

Note: In this fiscal 2004 report, PRTR unit emission values are shown in the form of indices (FY 2000:100)

The charts below give statistical data for fiscal 2004 for chemical substances falling within the scope of the PRTR Law.
The emission levels discharged into the air/hydrosphere amounted to roughly 1,866 tons, down approximately 36% from the fiscal 2001 level. The PRTR unit emission index was also reduced by approximately 30% compared with that in fiscal 2001. We will further reduce the use of these substances in line with measures to reduce VOC emissions. (For data on the production domain and each Honda factory, please see the relevant pages at the end of this report.)

* PRTR (Pollution Release and Transfer Register) system: law concerning the reporting of specified chemical substances released into the environment and the promotion of improvements in their management.

Report concerning the Storing and Disposal of Devices Containing PCB

In fiscal 2004, we submitted the report to the government on 739 units containing PCB (condensers and transformers containing PCB oil).
We will continue to store these devices properly in compliance with the storing criteria set by the government, such as preventing the outflow of PCB into the surrounding environment.