April 8, 2004

Reduction of sludge to 1/4 !
We aim to realize offices gentle to the environment.
--Activity of the Seiren Niita Office--
Seiren installed and started full operation of two sludge disposal systems in the Niita Office. More specifically, we installed two Sludge Bio Dryers we jointly developed with Chukyo Iyakuhin (Handa-shi, Aichi Prefecture; President Masayuki Yamada) and Seiren Electronics Co., Ltd., (Fukui-shi; President Koichi Fujii) of the Seiren Group. The investment was \100 million.
This system treats sludge (discharged from the wastewater treatment systems of the plant = industrial waste), which is heavy and bulky with moisture, using a Sludge Bio Dryer that makes use of biotechnology to reduce the sludge volume to 1/4 and gets rid of unpleasant odors to a large extent. The treatment cost has been reduced to \7 million from \27 million a year. The treated waste can be used as cement material.
This is the first activity among dyeing plants of other companies in the same industry in Japan. In the future, we will promote installation of this system in other offices and conduct research on the utilization of the waste generated from the system as fertilizer or fuel, so that we can achieve zero emissions by 2009.
The Niita Office is accelerating its investment in environmental measures, such as the installation of the DMF Purification and Recovery System that recovers and purifies solvents (DMF) from wastewater, in 1999 and the installation of four Exhaust Purification Systems that purifies the oil content, dust, and unpleasant odors contained in the exhaust air from ducts of production facilities in 2003. The investment totaled \700 million including the current investment.
With the protection of humans and the global environment in view, we continue to conduct corporate activities in all processes and organizations of research and development, production, and sales that allow not only our employees, but also our customers and people from the local community, to work and live in peace.
(Reference)
1. Objective Reduction and recycling of the byproducts and wastes generated through production activities. In the future, we hope to reduce them to zero.
2. About the Sludge Treatment System
Facility name : Sludge Bio Dryer 2 units
Start of operation : January 2004
Function : Reduction to 1/4 for Environmental conservation
Low energy and rapid dehydration of sludge by the bio dry method, which enables weight reduction of 1/4.
At the same time, treatment cost is reduced to 1/4.
The treated waste is utilized as cement material.
Ability : Reduction of industrial waist (sludge)
Weight 4 tons/day Weight 1 ton/day
Weight has been reduced to 1/4!
Installation site: Utility zone of the Niita Office
3. Typical and recent investment amounts in environmental activities
at the Niita Office
DMF Purification and Recovery Systems\500 million (installed in December 1999)
Exhaust Treatment Systems\100 million (installed in June 2003)
Sludge Treatment Systems\100 million
Total \7 million
* About DMF Purification and Recovery Systems
This system recovers the resin solvent used in the coating process (DMF) from wastewater and purifies it to be reused as resin solvent.
* About Exhaust Purification Systems
The system significantly removes and purifies oil content, dust, and unpleasant odors in the exhaust gas from the ducts generated through production activities.
4. Future plans
·
Research is underway on the utilization of the waste treated by the sludge treatment system as not only a cement material but also a more valuable material (e.g., fertilizer, fuel, etc.).
·
Installations of the sludge treatment system and exhaust treatment system in other offices are planned.
·
The achievement of zero emissions in five years, i.e., by 2009
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* Reference:
What are zero emissions?
Complete elimination of waste discharges and emissions.

For more information, please contact:

Hiroyuki Hanaoka or Nami Mizuno
Public Relations, General Affairs Department
Fukui Head Office
Phone: +81-776-35-2111
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