Management of Chemical Substances in Our Products

As part of our efforts to help achieve a sustainable society, Kioxia Group endeavors to reduce the risks posed to people’s health and to the environment by any chemical substances used in our products, in line with the Kioxia Group’s Environmental Policy.

Environmental laws and regulations, including the EU RoHS Directive, the EU REACH Regulation, and the TSCA, are being tightened year by year in a number of countries and regions. Kioxia Group believes that in order to prevent the inclusion of these legally regulated chemical substances in our products, it is necessary to exclude these substances at the design and development stage, and to ensure they do not feature in any of the products, parts and materials we purchase. By complying with these regulations and our customer requests, we are doing our bit to reduce or eliminate the use of substances that may have a significant impact on people’s health or the environment.

Kioxia Group is undertaking what we call “green procurement” throughout its entire supply chain. This involves procuring products, parts and materials that have a reduced environmental impact. Kioxia Corporation has established a Green Procurement Working Group comprising members of our Environmental, Quality Control and Procurement Divisions. This group has drawn up “Kioxia Group Procurement Guidelines,” which include specific requirements for suppliers, such as selection criteria for products, parts and materials with low environmental impact, and standards governing the use of chemical substances. They also take into account the environmental laws and regulations of each country and region, and address the demands of our customers. These guidelines are shared with our suppliers and periodically updated.

Information regarding any chemical substances contained in our products is properly monitored through our green procurement processes.

At Kioxia Group, environmental impact assessments are conducted from the design and development stage of each product covering the chemical substances present in products, parts and materials. We make every effort to use chemicals during our manufacturing processes that have minimal impact on the environment.

We are implementing measures to reduce the risk of environmental pollution caused by the use during manufacturing of chemical substances that are migratory (i.e., those with the ability to be transferred from one product to another if they come into contact).

We use analytical instruments to conduct regular testing of products for specific hazardous substances regulated under the EU RoHS Directive. We also inspect purchased parts and materials upon receipt, as needed, to verify that no contamination occurs in the parts or materials themselves, or during manufacturing processes.

For perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), we strive to stay informed through measures such as monitoring regulatory trends in anticipation of future regulations, and by conducting survey of products, parts and materials.

Furthermore, to ensure appropriate oversight of chemical substances, we utilize monitoring tools and engage external consultants. We also participate in industry associations to stay informed about environmental laws and regulatory trends regarding chemicals that may be banned in the future. This information is shared with relevant divisions through the Green Procurement Working Group, which also conducts periodic evaluations of the presence of any substances that should be prohibited or controlled in procurement.

We promote green procurement by classifying and managing chemical substances as follows.

In addition to these efforts, Kioxia Corporation is working to reduce its environmental impact throughout the supply chain by providing training for its distributors covering environmental issues based on the Kioxia Group Green Procurement Guidelines and through collaboration with Kioxia Group suppliers.

Please refer to “Green Procurement” for more information on our green procurement efforts and “Current Status of Environmental Impact and Environmental Targets and Outcomes” for details of our performance related to the management of chemical substances during manufacturing.

Every year, all Kioxia Group executives and employees are provided with training on environmental laws and regulations and on the Kioxia Group Green Procurement Guidelines.