Landfill sites in Japan fill up for around 16.4 years (as of April 1, 2018) is known.
There is a risk that the regulations have tightened regarding the landfill disposal volume and will reach the upper limit of disposal volume, or landfill will no longer be possible in the result.
If all of the landfill volumes generated from any domestic consolidated companies be advanced treated, the cost of treatment could be approximately 1.5 billion yen or more.
To mitigate or avoid the above risk, we reduce the landfill disposal waste volume by both reduction of waste generation and effective utilization, and help increase the number of years remaining before landfill sites fill up capacity.
The Group did not commit any regulatory violations and was not subject to any penalties in relation to the storage and management (labeling, sorting, etc.) of waste, proper internal disposal, outsourcing (contracts, manifests), or other aspects of waste handling.
Waste includes paper manufacturing sludge generated in the manufacturing process, wood waste during processing, and ash during fuel combustion. Any wastes are treated to make them harmless and used effectively.
In Japan, ash is used primarily as a raw material in cement and roadbed material. Overseas, paper manufacturing sludge is used as fertilizer and for other applications.
We continuously work to reduce the amount of waste generated and to expand effective utilization.
The effective waste utilization ratio* in FY2022 was 99.4% in Japan and 83.4% overseas.
We will continue to promote the recovery and reuse of raw materials from water used in the manufacturing process and the effective use of combustion ash generated by fuel combustion to obtain electricity and heat used in the production process for roadbed materials, etc., to reduce our environmental impact.
In addition, we participate in the "Environmental Action Plan (Waste Management)" and "Follow-up on the Status of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) Emissions Management" of the Japan Paper Association, of which we are a member and are promoting reductions.
In collaboration with other companies, Oji Group operating companies in and around Shizuoka Prefecture have been disposing of wastewater sludge generated at their worksites at final disposal sites (landfills). Still, by incinerating the sludge in the incinerators of paperboard companies licensed to dispose of waste, the paperboard companies obtain heat energy (steam) and reduce the amount of landfill disposal. Paperboard companies are also working to reduce the amount of sludge that must be disposed of in landfills.
In the field of packaging materials, one of the Group's core businesses, we have contributed to the reduction of plastics in society as a whole by approximately 3,000 tons in FY2022 through the replacement of plastic products with environmentally friendly paper products.
We aim to expand sales by approximately 5,000 tons by FY2030 and contribute to the transition to a plastics-free society.
Within the Oji Group, Oji Nepia is promoting the use of plastic-free packaging materials.
More than 90% of the waste plastic discharged from the Oji Group is derived from plastic mixed with recovered paper, the raw material for paper and paperboard.
Each of our manufacturing bases actively utilizes these materials effectively, and in FY 2022, approximately 98% of them were recycled (including thermal recycling).
We plan to achieve a 100% recycling rate by FY2030.