Promoting Resource Circulation

Materiality 4

Goal

Vision Minimizing resource consumption and maximizing resource circulation throughout the supply chain
Strategy Reducing resource consumption and waste, etc.
Indicator: Goal (achievement year)
  • Rate of reduction in total discharged waste: 10% or more compared with FY2018 (FY2030)
  • Rate of freshwater consumption reduction: 5% compared with FY2018 (FY2030)
  • Rate of use of recycled materials for products: 5% or more (FY2030)

3R Initiatives for Products and Packaging

Society must shift away from the traditional linear economy characterized by a cycle of mass production, consumption, and waste generation toward a circular economy in which resources are recycled and reused. The Nikon Group is committed to the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) of product and packaging to create a resource circulation society.

Major Measures

  • Sales of refurbished semiconductor lithography systems and reuse of projection lenses
  • Design longer lives for SLR cameras, MF lenses, etc.
  • Recycle used batteries from digital cameras, etc.
  • Reuse and recycle used Nikon products
  • Recycle packaging materials
  • Save resources by downsizing packaging boxes
  • Reduce plastics in packaging
  • Reduce the use of paper resources in user manuals

Initiatives Aimed at Reducing Waste, Etc.

The Nikon Group has introduced level-specific targets into its zero emissions* initiatives.
Nikon and Group manufacturing companies in Japan maintain level S status. In fiscal year 2022, Nikon X-Tek Systems Ltd. (UK) and Hikari Glass (Changzhou) Optics Co., Ltd. (China) achieved level S status.
In addition, Optos Plc (UK) and Nanjing Nikon Jiangnan Optical Instrument Co., Ltd. (China) achieved level 1 status, while other Group manufacturing companies are making further efforts to achieving Level 1 by fiscal year 2030.

  1. *Zero emissions: First advocated by the United Nations University in 1994. It embodies an approach that seeks to reduce waste from the whole of society to zero by recycling waste from one industry for use as a resource in other industries.

Zero Emission Level-Specific Targets

Level S: Final landfill disposal rate of less than 0.5%
Level 1: Final landfill disposal rate of less than 1%
Level 2: Final landfill disposal rate of less than 5%
Level 3: Final landfill disposal rate of less than 10%
Level 4: Final landfill disposal rate of less than 20%

  1. *Final landfill disposal rate = Final landfill amount / (waste + valuable resources). The final landfill amount is the amount of waste disposed of by landfill at the final disposal site.

Protection of Water Resources

Large quantities of water are used in the production processes for optical lenses, part of Nikon’s main product category, and for the quartz glass used in these lenses. For example, during the optical lens polishing process, water has to be added frequently in order to keep the polishing agent at the right consistency. Similarly, in the quartz glass production process, our waste gas purification devices require water to remove acid components from waste gases. To conserve water resources, the Nikon group monitors the amount of water withdrawal, discharge, and reuse, proactively implementing initiatives for effective water use. Beginning in fiscal year 2021, the Group also introduced a new freshwater consumption indicator*, as we believe it is important that water used should be returned at an equal or better quality than when it was withdrawn. The Nikon Group believes that reducing freshwater consumption will lead to reduced water withdrawal load in each region.

  1. *Freshwater consumption: Sum of withdrawal volumes A, B, and C, minus returned water volume D (A+B+C-D). A: Water withdrawal from municipal water supply facilities (tap water, industrial water, etc.), B: Water withdrawal from surface water (lakes, rivers, etc.), C: Water withdrawal from groundwater, D: Return water of equal or better quality than the withdrawal source (applicable to B and C only).

Fiscal Year 2022 Goals and Results

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Goals for Fiscal Year 2022 Results for Fiscal Year 2022
  • Nikon and Group manufacturing companies in Japan: Maintain level S
  • Group manufacturing companies in China: Maintain level 1
  • Group manufacturing companies outside Japan: Implement initiatives in line with conditions in each respective country
  • Nikon and Group manufacturing companies in Japan: Achieved level S (final landfill disposal rate of 0.06%)
  • Group manufacturing companies in China: Achieved level 1 (final landfill disposal rate of 0.49%)
  • Group manufacturing companies outside Japan: Conducted disposal in accordance with respective national laws and regulations
  • Reduce total waste emissions from business activities by 2% or more compared to fiscal year 2018 (total waste emissions: 7,616 tons or less)
  • Reduced total waste emissions from business activities by 20% compared to fiscal year 2018
  • Reduce freshwater consumption by at least 2% compared to fiscal year 2018 (freshwater consumption in fiscal year 2018: 1,877,000 ㎥
  • Improve water reuse rate compared with the previous fiscal year
  • Freshwater consumption: Reduced by 7.4% compared to fiscal year 2018
  • Water reuse rate: Goal not achieved; -1.7% compared to the previous year
  • Undertake the development of technologies to achieve a 70% or higher abrasive recycling rate
  • Technical considerations increased due to a change in the target abrasive material type
    Reform systems through team members who have the necessary knowledge and skills; begin considering ways to reduce the amount of abrasives used
  • Reduce the environmental impact from products
  • Promote the reuse of products, parts and materials
  • Promote the use of recycled materials in products
  • Continued sales of used semiconductor lithography systems
  • Refreshed and upgraded FPD lithography systems
  • Promote use of recycled materials for imaging products and packaging materials

Sustainability Report

For more information, refer to Promoting Resource Circulation in the Sustainability Report.

3R Initiatives for Products and Packaging

  • Sales of Refurbished Semiconductor Lithography Systems and Reuse of Projection Lenses
  • Battery Recycling
  • Recycling and Reuse of Used Nikon Products
  • Recycling of Packaging Materials
  • Reducing Resource Usage in Relation to Packaging and Instruction Manuals

Initiatives Aimed at Reducing Waste, Etc.

  • Towards Zero Emissions
  • Waste Reduction Performance
  • Waste Reduction and Resource Circulation Measures

Protection of Water Resources

  • Water Resource Conservation Measures
  • Water Risk Assessments
  • Appropriate Wastewater Treatment
  • Water Withdrawal and Discharge
  • Water Reuse Measures

Environment

Sustainability