Sustainability
Environmental Protection
The RIKEN TECHNOS GROUP aims to keep being a company that contributes to the realization of a prosperous society and responds to the trust of all its stakeholders through environmentally conscious corporate activities. For this objective, we have established an environmental protection structure to perform activities based on our Environmental Policy and sustain our ISO 14001 certification. At the top is the executive officer overseeing the environmental management system. Under the direction of the chief environmental management representative, we appoint environmental management representatives at each site, and build and operate our environmental management system.
Environmental Policy
For all our business activities, we take into consideration the effects on the environment. To protect the environment and realize a sustainable society, RIKEN TECHNOS established an environmental management system, and all members of the RIKEN TECHNOS GROUP work to implement the following principles.
- Through all business activities, the RIKEN TECHNOS GROUP improves the environmental management levels and prevents environmental pollution by not only observing all environmental regulations and mutual agreements but also setting our own rules and regulations voluntarily.
- The RIKEN TECHNOS GROUP supplies the market with various plastics that prioritize the environment such as those that are energy- saving, resource-saving, recyclable, and that have low-impact on biodiversities and ecological systems, while using guaranteed safe raw materials.
- The RIKEN TECHNOS GROUP reduces its impact on the global- environment, biodiversity, and ecological systems by eliminating wastefulness wherever possible. We reduce industrial waste by using materials effectively, and CO2 emissions by making efforts to save energy.
- The RIKEN TECHNOS GROUP continues environmental protection activities by establishing documents including the Environmental Policy, and by educating employees.
- The RIKEN TECHNOS GROUP sets concrete objectives and numerical targets of which progress is regularly self-assessed and managed properly to ensure the achievement of the Environmental Policy.
- The RIKEN TECHNOS GROUP implements the above-mentioned activities Group-wide to ensure the utmost consideration to the protection of the environment, biodiversity, and ecological systems and the safe operation at each site.
- The RIKEN TECHNOS GROUP aims to obtain confidence and understanding from society through appropriate and accurate information disclosure.
Certification of ISO 14001: 2015
Registration date: October 31, 2001（certification being maintained）
Certification scope: 100％（non-consolidated）
Environmentally Friendly Products
In addition to complying with various laws and regulations on the environment and chemical substances, the RIKEN TECHNOS GROUP carries out environmental management at a high level, such as by prohibiting/reducing the use of chemical substances with high environmental load, and works on improving its product development and manufacturing methods aiming to reduce environmental load.
In our long-term vision, we stated “Contribute to a sustainable society, flexibly adapting to changes in society and the environment” as part of our “ideal image for 10 years’ time.” To achieve our long-term vision, we will expand the lineup and sales of RIKEBIOR series, which uses biomass materials as raw materials. At the same time, we will expand sales of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) products—as an environmentally friendly material to substitute vulcanized rubber and coating—and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products. We will also clarify our definition of products that contribute to the environment and advance the development of environmentally friendly products sought by the market.
PVC can be said to be a material that has less environmental load than other general-purpose resins made from 100% petroleum-derived raw materials because salt (a natural material) accounts for about 60% of its raw material. PVC products can be given various functions such as durability, long life spans, and recyclability. Furthermore, using biomass plasticizers, we seek to reduce environmental load by developing compounds and films that are blended with plant- and nature-derived additives. We also seek to build a circular business model and are undertaking industry-academia collaboration for the recycling of used PVC products.
TPE has the same elasticity as rubber at room temperature and can be freely molded when heated. It can be molded with less energy than vulcanized rubber, which requires heat and time for function onset, and material recycling is also possible. We are developing high-functionality products by adding functions as necessary for the required application. In addition, it is lower relative density compared to vulcanized rubber, helping to make automobile components lighter and improving fuel efficiency, thereby contributing toward saving energy.
■ PVC products with high durability and long life spans
Compared to other resin products, PVC products have long life spans and can be used for ten years to several decades in construction applications, thereby helping to save resources. They have a wide range of applications as they can be used both indoors and outdoors.
■ Elastomers that are useful as rubber substitutes
Widely used in molded parts for automobiles such as sealing materials, elastomers also contribute toward making vehicles lighter and improving fuel efficiency. In addition, as they do not require a vulcanization process, they can also be used in medical products that require a high level of hygiene.