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Nikon strives to reduce the cost for packaging materials and distribution procedures while takes effective measures against reduction of environmental loading according to the Environment Action Plan.
Nikon defined its "Environmental Policy Regarding Packaging Materials" in May 1998, and revised it in June 2000. This policy has seven main points:
Pallet transport
·Elimination of hazardous substances ·Reduction in volume and content ·Recyclability ·Safety and ease of separation of materials ·Use of recycled resources ·Reusability ·Marking regarding packaging materials and handling precautions
Reduction in package size of digital SLR cameras
Based on this policy, the Imaging Company is taking steps to raise loading efficiency in distribution. For example, product package dimensions were formulated to maximize utilization of available airplane cargo space. The Company thereby reduced digital SLR camera box sizes by 20% in the year ended March 31, 2006. Work has now begun to reduce the bulk of instruction manuals, and as a result further reductions in packaging size are envisaged.
Also, Nikon has switched from conventional containers to pallets, eliminating the need for outer packaging and thus reducing the volume of materials used in transport.
The Instruments Company has continued to make progress in improving safety and facilitating the separation of materials during unpacking or disassembly. It has adopted a type of insertion packaging that enables the cushioning material and cardboard box to be separated easily.
Molded pulp is now used for the packing of some of products,
promoting the use of recycled resources. In other ways too, the Company is working to make its packaging eco friendly; for example, biodegradable material is employed for its new Fieldmicrosope Series “EZ-Micro” Naturescope.
Liaison meetings with business partners of distribution
CO2emission, a major cause for global warming, is accelerating partly due to physical distribution in Japan, and increased about 18% from the year ended March 1991 to the year ended March 2006.
Under these conditions, Nikon including major manufacturing subsidiaries has made efforts to identify effective distribution routes/volumes and the amount of CO2 emission resulted from distribution since the year ended March 2007. The survey showed that Nikon's annual amount of CO2 emission caused by distribution in Japan was 2,368 tons.
In future, to promote safer, eco-friendly driving, a phased introduction of digital tachometers is planned for the trucks operated by Nikon Business Services. This technology will not only facilitate the creation of daily driving logs and contribute to reductions in fuel consumption, but also raise the safety awareness of drivers. A survey of the current arrangements for transporting IC/LCD steppers & scanners will be carried out to enable a full review of everything from transport planning to the overall transportation system; Nikon can thus improve efficiency. Another survey will start in the year ending March 31, 2009, to gain a picture of the environmental load of physical distribution overseas; this will enable Nikon to plan cuts in the CO2 emissions there too.
Bus fuelled by natural gas vehicle (Kumagaya Plant)
Three natural gas vehicles are used as commuter buses for Kumagaya Plan t staff to help reduce CO2 emissions.
Additionally, a phased plan has been established to replace the trucks operated by Nikon Business Services with vehicles offering low fuel consumption.