Protecting our water resources

Effective use of water resources

Hamamatsu Photonics is conducting activities aimed at supporting a 5% or more reduction in water use per unit of net sales (in comparison with FY2016) until the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021 (FY2021). We met this target in FY2021, with a 22.2% reduction as compared with FY2016.

New Medium- and long-term targets:

Support of reduction of water use per unit of sales by 10 % compared with FY2020 by FY2030(Reduce by 1% in one year).

We recognize the importance of water resources and is dedicated to reducing its use, as well as recycling the water it does use. We conduct water-saving campaigns in-house. At its Main Factory, we have introduced a system to obtain half of the water used in pure-water manufacturing from recycled water. Today we recycle 200,000 m3 of water per year.

Wastewater management

  Unit FY2019 FY2020 FY2021
Water use (total) Thousands of m3 749 730 742
  Tap water Thousands of m3 105 101 102
  Well water Thousands of m3 601 585 591
  Industrial water Thousands of m3 43 44 49
Wastewater (total) Thousands of m3 664 706 717
  Public sewer Thousands of m3 135 138 133
  River discharge Thousands of m3 529 568 584

Note: The term "Third party sources" used by the CDP Water applies to the total of "tap water" and "industrial water", and "Groundwater (renewable)" by the CDP Water applies to "Well water".
Note: "River discharge" is applied to total of "Fresh surface water" and "Groundwater" by the CDP Water, and "Third-party destinations" by the CDP Water applies to "Public sewer".

Hamamatsu Photonics monitors water intake and wastewater volumes at all of its factories and research facilities, based on the laws of Japan and its own criteria. Each month, third-party analytical organizations conduct wastewater analysis, testing wastewater at points just before the final discharge ports. If abnormal values are discovered, we immediately undertake to determine the causes and takes appropriate measures, in strict compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

Water risk assessment and countermeasures

Hamamatsu Photonics evaluate water risks of all production sites both Japan and overseas with water-risk evaluation tool “WRI Aqueduct”. As of January 2022, we confirm that all domestic production sites have no significant water risks.

 

In addition to "WRI Aqueduct", we also measure of risks with local hazard maps such as "Hamamatsu City Disaster Prevention Maps" and "Ibaraki Digital Map". As a result, we recognize that Shingai Factory would be inundated if the Tenryu River should flood. Therefore, in the new building No.2 of the Shingai Factory, we are taking measures against flood damage, such as installing waterproof walls and buoyancy flip-up waterproof plates.

 

Furthermore, Hamamatsu Photonics has participated in the CDP Water Survey since 2016, we report our water risk and countermeasures on it.

Contributions to replenishment of groundwater and preservation of forests

• Replenishment of groundwater and preservation of forests
To preserve the groundwater in its home region, Hamamatsu Photonics and the Regional Groundwater Response Council cosponsor regular groundwater-replenishment and forest-preservation exercises. We participate in these exercises as a member of the Council, which is composed of Iwata City Environmental Preservation Promotion Council and groundwater users in the surrounding region. The aim of these efforts is to preserve abundant water resources for future generations by maintaining groundwater replenishment levels, through the cultivation of healthy forests. In 2020 we took part in thinning of a local forest aimed at replenishing groundwater, sponsored by the Regional Groundwater Response Council.

• Afforestation for protection against tides
As part of its activities to preserve biodiversity and contribute to the region, we participate in the "~KALA Project". The "~KALA Project" is a project to plant protective stands of trees on the inland side of seawalls, to mitigate damage from tsunamis. The effort was initiated as part of the Hamamatsu Area Seawall Plan, led by the government of Shizuoka Prefecture. Since 2017 we have participated twice a year, with activities such as planting trees and mowing grass.

(Photo courtesy of: Iwata City)