Prior to constructing manufacturing facilities, Kioxia Group considers the impact of the construction on the surrounding environment, conducts an environmental assessment, and takes all necessary precautions. Additionally, after construction is completed, we monitor various parameters in the surrounding environment such as noise and wastewater levels, and conduct surveys of the ecosystem to ensure that the surrounding environment has not been adversely affected by the construction.
Environmental Protection System
Environmental Protection Structure
To ensure efficient and ongoing environmental preservation activities, each manufacturing site of Kioxia Group in Japan has established environmental preservation procedures overseen by a General Manager with clearly defined responsibilities and authority. An Environment Management Committee deliberates environmental preservation issues across the entire spectrum of environmental activities, including environmental management systems, policies and objectives. We have further established a Compliance Committee to supervise and ensure full compliance with all relevant environmental laws and ordinances.
Environmental Protection Structure (Case of Kioxia Corporation’s Yokkaichi Plant)
- EMS: Environmental Management System.
Prevent pollution measures at environmental facilities
Kioxia Group has established “Environmental Structural Guidelines” covering wastewater treatment and related facilities, aimed at preventing and reducing the risk of contamination by chemical leaks.
Examples
Waste gas scrubber
Structures and specifications aimed at ensuring stable processing
Overhead piping (No buried piping)
Reduces the risk of soil contamination
Drainage dike
Prevents wastewater from leaking underground or into public water areas.
Wastewater treatment
Stable processing system that prevents discharge of wastewater
Double joints in piping
Monitoring and prevention of liquid leakages
Six-sided inspections
Six-sided inspections quickly uncover abnormalities at an early stage
Status of water and air quality management
In each of our domestic manufacturing operations, we monitor water and air quality on a daily basis using voluntary standards that are more stringent than the prevailing legal requirements, in order to minimize the environmental impact of our business operations.
Around-the-clock, automated monitoring is conducted in respect of legally regulated items such as NOx (nitrogen oxide), SOx (sulfur oxide), T-N (total nitrogen), T-P (total phosphorus), COD (chemical oxygen demand), SS (suspended solids), F (fluorine), and pH (power of hydrogen) levels.
To further strengthen our monitoring of water and air quality, we also voluntarily control items not subject to legal restrictions through sampling conducted at Analysis Centers located within our manufacturing plants. Kioxia Corporation’s Yokkaichi Plant tests around 47,000 samples per year, with Kioxia Iwate Corporation testing around 16,000. In FY2022, Kioxia Group was not subject to any government fines or penalties related to conservation of the environment in respect of issues such as water or air quality. Please refer to the environmental reports from each manufacturing site for more detailed results.
Environmental considerations in the construction of new buildings
Environmental Facility Audit
Kioxia Group’s audit teams conduct annual environmental audits of its sites based on the following principles: the three “Zen (all)” approach (all aspects, all facilities, all staff), the three “Gen (actual) ” approach (actual place, actual product, actual reality), and visual control approach (look, visualize, show).
We use these audits to ensure our compliance with laws and regulations; we also use them to measure and manage controlled substances and follow the “4S” approach (sorting, straightening up, sanitation, sweeping). These audits cover eight facilities, including the legally mandated wastewater treatment facilities.
Kioxia Group’s Environmental Facility Audit System Diagram
Cooperation with external contractors
The Kioxia Group has established management and supervisory processes to ensure the appropriate treatment of waste, the recycling and other processing of which is outsourced to external parties. Kioxia Corporation regularly monitors relevant sites, checking the operation of treatment facilities, the storage of goods, and business documentation. During monitoring in FY2022, we did not uncover any issues at these sites.
