Environmental Environmental Performance Data

Initiatives to Reduce GHG Emissions

  • Progress toward GHG Emissions Reduction Targets*
    Progress toward GHG Emissions Reduction Targets
    • *Excluding cement-related business transferred to Mitsubishi UBE Cement Corporation.
  • Fiscal 2023 GHG Emissions by Segment
    Fiscal 2023 GHG Emissions by Segment
    • Note:The figures marked with “★” are verified by a third party (Sustainability Accounting Co., Ltd.) and its assurance has been acquired. For the detail, please refer to the assurance report (Japanese only).
  • Consolidated Sales of Environmentally Friendly Products and Technologies*
    Consolidated Sales of Environmentally Friendly Products and Technologies
    • *Excludes cement-related operations that have been transferred to the Ube Mitsubishi Cement Group.

Estimated Contributions to GHG Emissions Reductions of Environmentally Friendly Products and Technologies

Fiscal 2022: Approx.10,400 kt-CO2e/y

  • Notes:
  • 1. Calculations based on the UBE group’s market shares and sales volumes of environmentally friendly products based on CO2 reductions in usage stages compared with conventional counterparts for and products incorporating UBE Group environmentally friendly products and technologies (based on CO2e reductions for one year of use based on volumes of end products used during fiscal 2022).
  • 2.For the detailed data, please refer to “ESG Data” as well as pages 6 to 7 of Integrated Report Supplementary Information (Environment and Safety / Quality Assurance) (PDF: 2.57MB) attached to the Integrated Report 2024.

Trends in the Volume of GHG Emissions, Energy Consumption, etc.

GHG Emissions
(kt-CO2e/)
2021(FY) 2022 2023
Scope 1 3,790 3,390 3,136*★ Direct GHG emissions from a reporting entity, due to fuel use, etc.
Scope 2 520 430 366*★ Indirect GHG emissions from electricity and heat purchased from other entities
Scope 3 13,410 12,230 11,990 Indirect GHG emissions throughout the supply chain, such as those that occur during material procurement, transport and product processing, used and disposal
Total 17,720 16,050 15,492
  • Notes:
  • 1.Scope 1 and 2 emissions in fiscal 2023 will be verified and disclosed in our GHG emission verification report.
  • 2.The figures marked with “★” are verified by a third party (Sustainability Accounting Co., Ltd.) and its assurance has been acquired. For the detail, please refer to the assurance report (Japanese only).
GHG Emission by Sector in Fiscal 2023
(kt-CO2e/y)
Business Sites Scope 1 Scope 2 Total
Chemical Business 2,970 360 3,330
 Domestic 2,290 110 2,410
 Thailand 400 220 620
 Spain 280 20 310
Machinery Business 160 10 170
Total 3,130★ 370★ 3,500
  • Notes:
  • 1.Numbers may not add up due to rounding
  • 2.The figures marked with “★” are verified by a third party (Sustainability Accounting Co., Ltd.) and its assurance has been acquired. For the detail, please refer to the assurance report (Japanese only)
Scope 3 Emissions by Category
(kt-CO2e/y)
Category 2021(FY) 2022 2023
1 Purchased goods and services 3,080 2,490 2,460
2 Capital goods 40 70 90
3 Fuel and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 350 300 180
4 Upstream transportation & distribution 160 140 90
5 Waste generated in operations 20 40 40
6 Business travel 0 10 10
7 Employee commuting 10 10 10
8 Upstream leased assets 0 0 0
9 Downstream transportation & distribution 70 70 80
10 Processing of sold products 450 460 480
11 Use of sold products 1,510 1,630 2,080
12 End-of-life treatment of sold products 1,100 910 890
13 Downstream leased assets No relevant activities
14 Franchises No relevant activities
15 Investments 6,620 6,110 5,590
Total 13,410 12,240 11,990
  • Note: Numbers may not add up due to rounding.
Emissions Data by GHG Category
(kt-CO2e/y)
GHG Categories 2021(FY) 2022 2023
CO2 3,390 3,140 3,003
CH4*1 0 0 0
N2O 920 680 500
HFC*1 0 0 0
PFC 0 0 0
SF6*1 0 0 0
NF3 0 0 0
Total*1 4,310 3,820 3,501
  • *1Less than 10,000t-2e
GHG Emission Intensity (GHG emissions per unit of production)
(t-CO2e/t-LC)
2021(FY) 2022 2023
GHG emission intensity 2.521 2.733 2.565
  • Note:Data for fiscal 2021 and beyond is aggregated and excludes the former Construction Materials Company.
Energy Consumption Data
(MWh/year)
2021(FY) 2022 2023
Total Derived from Renewable Energy Total Derived from Renewable Energy Total Derived from Renewable Energy Note
Fuel consumption 8,417,000 0 6,131,000 0 6,066,000 0 Biomass
Purchased electricity consumption 800,000 176,000 629,000 160,000 633,000 168,000 Power from renewable energy
Purchased steam consumption 1,425,000 0 1,079,000 0 722,000 0
Purchased hot and cool water consumption — — — — 63,000 0
Private power generation (renewable energy) 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 Solar power
Total 10,644,000 178,000 7,841,000 162,000 7,486,000 170,000
  • Note: Numbers may not add up due to rounding.
Energy Type Consumption Data
(MWh/year)
2021(FY) 2022 2023
Thermal coal 6,963,000 5,144,000 5,127,000
Kerosene and light oil 263,000 157,000 155,000
Liquefied natural gas 626,000 391,000 340,000
Liquefied petroleum gas 138,000 129,000 123,000
Petroleum coke 0 0 0
Heavy oil 201,000 122,000 98,000
Gas and oil by-products 226,000 188,000 223,000
Biomass 0 0 0
Total 8,417,000 6,131,000 6,066,000

Trends in Environmental Data Relative to Initiatives to Reduce Environmental Burdens

Water Resource Usage

Scope of coverage: UBE’s domestic factories, laboratories, and key consolidated subsidiaries with manufacturing plants

UBE Group Water Resource Usage (Fiscal 2021 through 2023)
Water Resource Withdrawals
(Millions of cubic meters)		 2019(FY) 2020 2021 2022 2023
Chemicals Business Tap water 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
Groundwater 2.0 2.0 2.2 2.0 2.1
Industrial water 84 81 83 64 67
Seawater 114 107 115 302*1 343*1
Subtotal 200 190 200 369 413
Machinery Business Tap water 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1
Groundwater 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Industrial water 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.9
Seawater 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Subtotal 1.1 1.2 1.0 1.0 1.1
Total (UBE Group) 201 191 201 370 414★
Water discharges
(Million of cubic meters)		 2019(FY) 2020 2021 2022 2023
Chemicals Business Sewers*2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Rivers and lakes 2.1 2.1 2.2 2.1 2.2
Ocean areas 156 145 152 342*1 382*1
Subtotal 158 147 154 345 384
Machinery Business Sewers*2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Rivers and lakes 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Ocean areas 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.8
Subtotal 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.8
Total (UBE Group) 159 148 155 345 385
  • *1Including cooling seawater used in private power generation
  • *2Wastewater volume 10,000 tons or less
  • Note:The figure marked with “★” is verified by a third party (Sustainability Accounting Co., Ltd.) and its assurance has been acquired. For the detail, please refer to the assurance report (Japanese only)
Response to the Fluorocarbon Emission Restriction Law

Promulgated in April 2015, the Act on Rational Use and Appropriate Management of Fluorocarbons is aimed at reducing leaks of fluorocarbon refrigerants (chlorofluorocarbon, hydrochlorofluorocarbon, and hydrofluorocarbon) to help prevent global warming and the further destruction of the ozone layer. We comply strictly with laws and regulations relating to chlorofluorocarbon refrigeration and air conditioning equipment inspections. We endeavor to prevent fluorocarbon leaks by improving their recovery and filling methods and strengthening equipment operations management.

We are systematically replacing chlorofluorocarbon refrigeration equipment from our processes with alternatives that use low global warming potential hydrofluorocarbons or non-chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants.

Recycling of Plastic Resources

Flow of Plastic Resource Recycling (UBE Corporation, fiscal 2023 results)
Flow of Plastic Resource Recycling (UBE Corporation, fiscal 2023 results)

The Plastic Resource Circulation Act, which went into effect in April 2022, requires businesses to minimize and recycle industrial waste that contains plastics. UBE Corporation’s efforts to use plastic resources effectively resulted in a 52% recycling rate in fiscal 2023. We will continue to push ahead with plastic recycling.

  • Scope of coverage: Data covers eight UBE business sites. These are the Sakai Factory, Ube Chemical Factory, Ube Chemical Factory Fujimagari Area, Ube Electronic and Industrial Materials Factory, Ube Research Laboratory, Pharmaceutical Research Laboratory, Future Tech Laboratory, and Osaka Research & Development Center.
  • Note:The figure marked with “★” is verified by a third party (Sustainability Accounting Co., Ltd.) and its assurance has been acquired. For the detail, please refer to the assurance report (Japanese only)

Environmental Performance

Overview of Group Environmental Impact (Fiscal 2019 through 2023)
  • Scope of coverage: UBE’s domestic factories, laboratories, and key consolidated subsidiaries with manufacturing plants
Input
2019(FY) 2020 2021 2022 2023
Total Energy Crude oil equivalent
(Thousands of MWh)		 22,140 20,920 21,340 7,841 7,486
Total raw materials
(Thousands of tons)		 16,298 15,381 15,819 2,177 2,054
Water resources
(Million m3)		 Freshwater used 97 94 96 68 71
Seawater used 115 108 116 302* 343*
  • Note:Data for fiscal 2022 and beyond excludes the former Construction Materials Company.
  • *Includes cooling seawater used in private power generation.
Business activities (manufacturing) of the UBE Group↓
Output
2019(FY) 2020 2021 2022 2023
Airborne emissions GHG (kt-CO2e/y) 12,110 11,270 11,840 3,820 3,720
SOx (t) 2,652 2,589 2,296 1,095 959
NOx (t) 16,071 15,274 14,956 3,725 3,405
Dust (t) 371 392 364 115 66
PRTR substances (t) 180 190 194 143 164
Soil emissions PRTR substances (t) 0 0 0 0 0
Waterborne emissions Wastewater (Million m3) 163 152 159 345 385
COD (t) 705 658 687 1,347 1,433
Total phosphorus (t) 11 10 11 18 18
Total nitrogen (t) 466 420 455 466 471
PRTR substances (t) 112 82 91 72 27
Industrial waste emissions External landfill disposal amount (t) 6,463 6,267 5,895 5,159 4,887
Recycled volume (t) 389,000 340,543 379,024 214,755 200,151
  • *As the result of revisions to the scope of calculation, data for fiscal 2022 and beyond now excludes the former Construction Materials Company while including cooling seawater used in private power generation.

The UBE Group is committed to extensively managing atmospheric and water emissions of pollutants and contaminants, and endeavors to comply with agreements and voluntary standards. We are endeavoring to lower our environmental impact, managing it by checking progress with reduction plans in strategic management meetings and undertaking PDCA cycles. We will keep pursuing business activities that contribute to a circular economy by tackling environmental issues, lowering the volume of industrial waste produced and increasing the volume used, and constraining chemical substance emissions.

Reducing Industrial Waste

  • Industrial Waste Recycling Amount
    Industrial Waste Recycling Amount
  • Industrial Waste for External Final Disposal
    Industrial Waste for External Final Disposal
  • Scope of coverage: UBE’s domestic factories, laboratories, and key consolidated subsidiaries with manufacturing plants, representing 70% of such subsidiaries

Waste for External Final Disposal

Fiscal 2024 target: 87% reduction from fiscal 2000 level

The UBE Group is reducing and recycling industrial waste to help create a circular economy. Our medium-term goal is to cut external final disposal by 87% from the fiscal 2000 level by fiscal 2024. We have taken steps to reach that target. In fiscal 2023, our external landfill disposal amount was 85% below that of fiscal 2000. We will keep striving to reduce industrial waste.

Overall Flow of Industrial Waste: In-House
(t)
(FY) ①Industrial waste generated ②Reduction ③Recycling ④Final disposal
2019 561,591 145,425 247,568 263
2020 476,127 105,940 220,559 126
2021 522,644 114,866 233,175 127
2022 285,780 46,743 46,743 706
2023 Chemicals Business 232,560 55,485 7,196 130
Machinery Business 44,826 0 27,718 0
Total 277,386 55,485 34,914 130
Overall Flow of Industrial Waste: External
(t)
(FY) ⑤Discharged amount ⑥Reduction ⑦Recycling ⑧Final disposal
2019 168,335 20,440 141,432 6,463
2020 149,502 23,171 119,984 6,347
2021 174,476 22,732 145,849 5,895
2022 197,676 18,418 174,099 5,159
2023 Chemicals Business 169,750 16,549 152,778 423
Machinery Business 17,108 185 12,459 4,464
Total 186,858★ 16,734 165,237 4,887
  • Scope of coverage: UBE’s domestic factories, laboratories, and key consolidated subsidiaries with manufacturing plants
    • Note: The figure marked with “★” is verified by a third party (Sustainability Accounting Co., Ltd.) and its assurance has been acquired. For the detail, please refer to the assurance report (Japanese only)
figure

Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Waste Disposal

We thoroughly audit stabilizers and other equipment using PCBs. In addition, we are endeavoring to complete PCB waste disposals by the deadline set under the amended Act on Special Measures concerning Promotion of Proper Treatment of PCB Wastes. We comply with storage and disposal laws and ordinances processing, and utilize Japan Environmental Storage & Safety Corporation (JESCO) and certified detoxification contractors to systematically dispose of PCB waste.

Number of Units of Equipment Incorporating PCBs in Storage (As of April 2024 for UBE Corporation)
(Units)
In Use In Storage Total
High-concentration PCB 0 0 0
Low-concentration PCB 23 26 49

UBE Corporation completely disposed of high-concentration PCB waste in fiscal 2021. It is endeavoring to systematically collect and dispose of all low-concentration PCB waste by the deadline set under the amended Act on Special Measures concerning Promotion of Proper Treatment of PCB Wastes.

Suppressing Chemical Substance Emissions

  • Emissions Volume of PRTR Substances
    Emissions Volume of PRTR Substances
  • VOC Emissions
    VOC Emissions
  • Scope of coverage: UBE’s domestic factories, laboratories, and key consolidated subsidiaries with manufacturing plants, representing 70% of such subsidiaries

Total Emissions of 20 Chemical Substances

Fiscal 2024 Target: 32% reduction from fiscal 2010 level

The UBE Group accorded Companywide priority to 20 key chemical substances*1 with high emission volumes from among those subject to the PRTR Law*2 and VOCs,*3 and endeavors to control their emissions. By fiscal 2023, we had reduced the total emissions of 20 chemical substances by 42% from the fiscal 2010 level (in terms of PRTR substances and VOC emissions reductions, as shown above, down 61% and 56%, respectively, from fiscal 2010). The reduction target for fiscal 2024 is 32%. We will continue to cut our emissions.

Total Volume of PRTR Substances Emitted/Transferred in Fiscal 2023
Handling Volume (t) Emission Volume (t) Transfer Volume (t) Number of PRTR Substances
Atmosphere Public Water Soil Total
UBE Corporation 84,364 80.2 21.8 0.0 102.0 2,963 63
Other Group companies 107,452 83.6 4.8 0.0 88.4 852 40
Total (UBE Group) 191,817 163.8 26.5 0.0 190.4 3,815 78
Volumes of individual PRTR Substances Emitted/Transferred in Fiscal 2023 (Substances emitted 1 ton or more per year and dioxins)
Ordination Designation No. Chemical Substance CAS No. Handling Volume (t) Total Emissions Volume (t) Transfer Volume
（t）
Atmosphere Public Water Soil Total
300 Toluene 108-88-3 1,109 54.0 9.8 0.0 63.7 462.6
629 Cyclohexane 110-82-7 542 37.8 0.0 0.0 37.8 0.2
400 Benzene 71-43-2 66 13.5 0.2 0.0 13.7 0.0
128 Chloromethane 74-87-3 10 9.5 0.0 0.0 9.5 0.0
213 N,N-dimethylacetamide 127-19-5 546 8.6 0.0 0.0 8.6 277.7
80 Xylene 1330-20-7 95 7.9 0.0 0.0 7.9 11.5
53 Ethylbenzene 100-41-4 19 6.8 0.0 0.0 6.8 10.6
595 Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid and its potassium and sodium salts 60-00-4 10 0.0 5.0 0.0 5.0 0.2
240 Styrene 100-42-5 163 4.7 0.0 — 4.7 0.5
674 Tetrahydrofuran 109-99-9 549 4.6 0.0 0.0 4.6 281.4
405 Boron compound 74-94-2 25 0.1 4.2 0.0 4.2 5.1
737 Methyl isobutyl ketone 108-10-1 513 2.7 1.0 0.0 3.7 300.3
731 Heptane 142-82-5 122 3.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 119.5
349 Phenol 108-95-2 70,808 2.1 0.1 0.0 2.3 1,059.3
624 Methyl salicylate 119-36-8 221 2.2 0.0 0.0 2.2 5.5
243 Dioxins* (mg-TEQ/year) — — 131 3 0 134 —
  • Scope of coverage: UBE’s domestic plants, laboratories, and key domestic consolidated subsidiaries with manufacturing plants, representing 70% of such subsidiaries
  • Scope of coverage: UBE’s domestic factories, laboratories, and key consolidated subsidiaries with manufacturing plants, representing 70% of such subsidiaries
  • *Mixture of multiple types; the volume of dioxins alone is measured by mg-TEQ
  • *120 chemicals selected independently: Methyl alcohol, butyl alcohol, toluene, epsilon-caprolactam, styrene, ammonia, cyclohexane, cyclohexanone, oxalic acid, vinyl acetate, xylene, n-hexane, ethylbenzene, chloromethane, benzene, dimethyl phthalate, N,N-dimethylacetamide, boric acid compound, phenol, hydrogen fluoride and its water-soluble salts
  • *2Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) Law: This legislation requires companies to identify business site chemical substance emissions and transfer volumes and report to the government. The Ministry of the Environment discloses the submitted information on its website. Such disclosure is designed to encourage voluntary efforts to improve chemical substance management.
  • *3Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): These organic chemicals evaporate or sublimate easily, entering the atmosphere as gases. They are factors in the forming of suspended particulate matter (PM) and photochemical oxidant pollution.
Fiscal 2023 Environmental Impact Data by Facility
In Japan
Emission into the Atmosphere (t/y) Emission into Water (t/y)
SOx*1 NOx*2 Dust COD*3 Total Phosphorus Total Nitrogen
2022 2023 2022 2023 2022 2023 2022 2023 2022 2023 2022 2023
Chemicals Business UBE Sakai Factory / Osaka Research & Development Center 0.0 0.0 1.4 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.3
Ube Chemical Factory east and west area 17 14 59 58 2.1 1.5 398 393 5.5 5.6 352 357
Ube Chemical Factory Fujimagari Area 530 453 333 301 2.5 1.8 203 241 5.0 5.1 50 63
Power Management Dept. (private power generation) 532 477 2,755 2,809 100 57 713 767 6 6.5 48 34
Ube Electronic and Industrial Materials Factory (Former Meiwa Plastic Industries, Ltd.) — — — — — — 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Ube Research Laboratory / Pharmaceutical Research Laboratory — — — — — — 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.1
Future Tech Laboratory (Former Chiba Research Laboratory) — — — — — — 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Subtotal 1,079 944 3,149 3,169 105 60 1,315 1,401 16.9 17.2 451 455
API Corporation 3 2.4 6 4.6 0 0.1 13 12.7 0.3 0.3 10 11.5
UBE Elastomer Co. Ltd. 0.6 0.8 31.7 29.7 0.2 0.2 11.5 12.2 0.1 0.1 3.3 3.0
Ube Film, Ltd. — — — — — — — — — — — —
UBE Hydrogen Peroxide, Ltd. 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.3
UBE EXSYMO CO., LTD. 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.6 0.1 0.1 3.7 3.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Total (Chemicals Business) 1,082 947 3,187 3,204 105 60 1,343 1,430 17 18 465 470
Machinery Business UBE Machinery Corporation, Ltd. 0.1 0.1 — — — — 1.1 1.1 0.2 0.2 1.4 1.4
UBE Steel Co., Ltd. 13 12 88 201 9.4 6.0 2.6 2.4 — — — —
Fukushima Ltd. — — — — — — — — — — — —
Total (Machinery Business) 13 12 88 201 9.4 6.0 3.7 3.5 0.2 0.2 1.4 1.4
Total (UBE Group) 1,095 959 3,275 3,405 115 66 1,347 1,433 18 18 466 471
  • Scope of coverage for “in Japan”: UBE’s domestic factories, laboratories, and key consolidated subsidiaries with manufacturing plants, representing 70% of such subsidiaries
Overseas
Emission into the Atmosphere (t/y) Emission into Water (t/y)
SOx*1 NOx*2 Dust COD*3 Total Phosphorus Total Nitrogen
2022 2023 2022 2023 2022 2023 2022 2023 2022 2023 2022 2023
Spain UBE Corporation Europa, S.A. Unipersonal 8 9 442 347 5.5 4.3 130 108 1.0 0.8 58 50
Thailand UBE Chemical (Asia) Public Company Limited 3.5 4.9 20 20 4.7 6.2 29 39 0.7 0.3 1.9 3.7
THAI SYNTHETIC RUBBERS COMPANY LIMITED 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.1 0.009 18 17 0.0 0.005 0.0 0.0
UBE Fine Chemicals (Asia) Co., Ltd. 0.0 0.0 4.8 3.0 0.2 0.5 — — — — — —
Total 11 14 468 370 11 11 177 163 2 1 60 54