 |
 |
|
 |
|
| Honda has been promoting “zero emission”
to reduce waste generated from and environmental impacts caused by its factories
to the minimum under its green factory project. In July 2000, by reducing the generation of waste and promoting recycling, we achieved “zero landfill disposal” at all our plants in Japan and have since been implementing similar measures overseas. Also, we are aggressively implementing countermeasures
against waste sources to reduce the total amount of waste generated. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
“After materials are carried into a factory, nothing
but products should be carried out from it.” This is the words of Honda’s
founder. In the production process, a significant amount of resources and energy
are used, and not only products but also waste products, wastewater, air pollutants,
and CO2 are generated. Honda, aiming to reduce the environmental impacts caused
by these by-products to zero, has long been implementing the measures for zero
emissions. As part of such measures, we started to implement “zero landfill
disposal” measures in 1996 and achieved the objective at all of our factories
in July 2000. “Zero landfill disposal”represents Honda’s fundamental
idea about the environment, which has been promoted within the company since
its foundation. |
|
As of 1996, Honda disposed of approximately 7,000 tons of
waste as landfill. To reduce such waste to zero, we first examined and analyzed
the actual situation: what kinds of waste were generated, and in what ways,
and why were they disposed of as landfill. We analyzed these waste problems
in relation to our activities, materials, technologies, and costs, and planned
practical measures to reduce all waste. Our staff made many proposals for waste
reduction, including a method to recycle even the labels attached to parts.
At most of our factories, pocket-sized brochures detailing the waste items to
be sorted were prepared and everyone carries these brochures with them to help
with the careful sorting of waste. It has been proved that the careful sorting
of waste leads to a reduction of the loads imposed on waste incinerators and
to the reduction of dioxins generated by incineration. |
|
If we depended entirely upon external recycling companies,
it would not be possible to achieve 100% recycling. We have therefore been examining
methods to recycle materials that are said to be unsuitable for recycling in
cooperation with our suppliers as well as with external recycling companies.
For example, we developed a device to remove foreign matter from incineration
ash and improved this again and again. As a result, approximately 2,100 tons
of incineration ash, which had previously been sent to landfills, were recycled
as a material for cement or as paving materials (recycled as paving materials
after being fused and solidified). Also, we have significantly increased the
recycling of waste oil, cutting fluid, and composite resin remnants. Thus a
large amount of waste that was previously destined for landfills, is now recycled.
|
|
For the achievement of “zero landfill disposal,”
each of Honda’s factories simultaneously implemented their own measures
and any measures that proved to be effective at one factory was aggressively
introduced to other factories to accelerate achievement of our goals. As a result,
approximately one and a half years earlier than planned (in July 2000), “zero landfill
disposal” was achieved at all our factories in Japan. The diagram shown
above outlines our efforts to attain this goal. Such efforts have also been
made at our factories overseas. For example, at Honda of the U.K. Manufacturing
Ltd. (HUM) in the United Kingdom, the amount of waste for landfills was reduced
to less than one-third compared with the level of 1995 (60 kg/vehicle). Thus
Honda is promoting localized waste reduction activities all over the world. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
