Environmental Report

2021

Krosaki Harima Corporation

Table of Contents
1. Message from top management1

2. Environmental conservation action policy and system

2

3. Status of our compliance with environment protection legislation

4

4. Refractory manufacturing process and energy consumption

5

5. Environmental performance data
5-1 Greenhouse gas control initiatives

6

5-2 Initiatives to protect the co-existence of people and nature

10

5-3 Initiatives to protect water resources

11

5-4 Initiatives for the realization of a recycling-oriented society

13

6．Initiatives for co-existence with local communities

17

The Azalea is the ofﬁcial ﬂower of Kitakyushu City. (This photo was taken at our Yahata Area premises.)Report Message from
1 Environmental
Top Management
Allow me to thank all of our stakeholders for their continued and heartfelt support for
our Company.

1.Introduction
As corporate member of society, we recognize that it is extremely important to practiceenvironmentally friendly corporate management, in order to grow as a company and also to work
towards the realization of sustainable development goals (SDGs). At Krosaki Harima, we havebeen working on environmental conservation activities for many years. In 2001, we established anenvironmental declaration containing the statement, "We must actively work to protect the global
environment in order to bequeath a beautiful earth to the next generation".
Furthermore, with the worldwide spread of initiatives to prevent global warming in recent years,
Krosaki Harima made a clear statement of commitment to carbon neutrality in last year's
environmental policy, and we have intensiﬁed our eﬀorts to cut CO₂ emissions.

2.Environmental conservation action policy and system
We have worked actively to thoroughly reduce our environmental impact, not only by complying
with environmental legislation in the manufacturing stages of our refractories and ceramics, but
by conserving energy and resources, reducing waste and promoting recycling across all stages,
from design and manufacture to customer use and disposal.
While continuing and enhancing these steps, from last ﬁscal year we started new initiatives totake us towards carbon neutrality in 2050. Speciﬁcally, our aim is to reduce CO₂ emissions by
50% compared to ﬁscal 2013 levels by ﬁscal 2030 and we are moving ahead with studies in
product and technology development and other ﬁelds in order to achieve carbon neutrality,
including carbon oﬀsets, by ﬁscal 2050. In addition to reducing CO₂ emissions generated in our
manufacturing processes, we also plan to contribute to society through the reduction of CO₂
emissions by our customers by actively providing them with our products, technologies, andsolutions. Speciﬁc examples include product development and energy-saving industrial furnace
design in support of the eﬀorts of our major customers in reducing CO₂ emissions in the steel
industry, and the reduction of heat loss through the use of high-performance insulation materials
in the ceramics industry, as we continue our active promotion of development that applies thetechnologies we have cultivated over the years.
It is our earnest hope that this Environmental Report will help all of our stakeholders to deepen
their understanding of Krosaki Harima's initiatives in the face of environmental challenges.
Junpei Konishi, Environmental Administrator
Krosaki Harima Corporation1

conservation action
2 Environmental
policy and system
Krosaki Harima adopted the "Environmental Declaration" in 2001, and has established an"Environmental Policy" as a concrete action guideline for its achievement.
In addition to reducing CO₂ emissions through productivity improvements, energy saving,and product conversion in the manufacturing process, we will also continue to contribute toa reduction of society's CO₂ emissions through the supply of drying-free refractory materials,
the construction of refractories for energy-saving industrial furnaces and environmental
furnaces, and the use of low-thermal-conductivity insulation materials for fuel cells.
In addition, in December 2021, we formulated our basic policy for sustainability activities. In
order to realize a sustainable society, we will actively work on environmental issues from thisperspective as well.

Environment Declaration
The destruction of the environment continues on a global scale today, and we, as acorporate citizen trusted by society, are determined to actively work to preserve and protect
the global environment in order to pass this beautiful earth on to our descendants.
June 1, 2001 Krosaki Harima Corporation

Environmental Policya. In the conduct of our comprehensive solution business for refractories and ceramics, we
strive to lessen our environmental impact by combatting global warming, conserving
resources, promoting recycling, reducing industrial waste and preventing pollution, etc.,
across all stages, from product research and development, design, and material
procurement, to manufacture, servicing and customer use and disposal.
b. We will establish an environmental management system, and have all employees strive to
make continuous improvements to our environmental impact and to prevent pollution. In
addition, in our activities, we will establish targets for improvement and strive forcontinuous improvement.
c. We will comply with all environment related laws and regulations, as well as withagreements with our stakeholders.
d. We will aim to achieve coexistence between the global environment and human society,and contribute to the creation of a more bountiful environment.
e. We will work to reduce CO₂ emissions in order to contribute to the realization of carbon
neutrality.
April 1, 2022 Krosaki Harima Corporation
2

Environmental Management System

Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Sustainability Promotion Committee
Sustainability Promotion Committee

Environmental Sub-Committee

Climate Change Sub-Committee

Environmental Sub-Committee
Administrator
Environmental

Climate Change Sub-Committee〇Carbon neutral

Environmental Management
Representative
Environmental
Administrator
Environmental
Management
Representative
Divisional
heads,
oﬃcersin charge(Sales, Manufacturing, Furnaces,
domestic heads,
Group companies)
Divisionaloﬃcers in charge〇Climate change〇Carbon neutral
ﬁnancial information〇Climatechangedisclosuretask force
ﬁnancial information(Sales, Manufacturing, Furnaces,
disclosure task force
domestic Group companies)
Improvement planning
ReportingTarget setting
Improvement planning
Reporting
Environmental Management
Secretariat
Targetsetting(Environmental Safety Promotion Department)

Environmental ManagementMonitoring
Secretariat(auditing)
Performance
Environmental laws and(Environmental Safety Promotion
Department)
reportingregulations training〇 Promotion ofdiversity and inclusion〇 Promotion ofdiversity and inclusion〇 Co-existence withlocal communities〇 Co-existence
withPromotion of recycling
local communities〇 Promotion of recycling

Informationexchangeoverseas Group
companies

Informationexchangeoverseas Group
companies

Monitoring (auditing)
PerformanceManufacturing sites
Environmental laws andreportingregulations training
Head Oﬃce, Control Center,

Inspection

domestic
Group companies,
Manufacturing
sites
laboratories,
measurement
analysis
Head Oﬃce,
Control Center,

Inspection

External inspection
organization
External inspection
organization

domestic Group companies,
laboratories, measurement analysis

Environmental Management Cycle•Environment Sub-Committee•Environmental laws and•Environment
Sub-Committee
regulations training•Environmental laws andregulations training

ACTIONPLAN

ACTION

PLAN

CHECK

DO

CHECK

DO

•
external inspection••Internal audits
external inspection•Internal control monitoring•Internal audits•Internal control monitoring•Environmental
Sub-Committee•Annual•Environmental
environmental
policySub-Committee•Targetvalue•Annualplanning
environmental policy•Target value
planning•Environmental
conservation
activities•Environmentalateach site
conservation
activities
at each site3

of our compliance with
3 Status
environment protection legislation
The status of our compliance with environment protection legislation is as follows.
Table 3 Environment protection legislation compliance status

Environmental protection legislation

Compliance status

Act on Conﬁrmation, etc. of Release Amountsof Speciﬁc Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to theManagement Thereof (Law concerning PRTR)

We identify the target chemical substances and report the annual release andtransfer amounts every year.

Act on Rational Use and Appropriate
Management of Fluorocarbons(Fluorocarbon Emission Control Law)

We carry out simple inspections and periodic inspections on the target products, andconﬁrm inspection statuses, as appropriate. In addition, we ascertain the amount ofchloroﬂuorocarbon leaked in the previous ﬁscal year and report this, as necessary.

Sewerage Act

We measure the water quality of sewage wastewater to conﬁrm compliance withregulations. In addition, we regularly inspect drainage facilities.

Act on the Regulation of Manufactureand Evaluation of Chemical Substances(Chemical Substances Control Law)

We tally the import volumes of target chemical substances and report them every year.

Noise Regulation Law

We have submitted notiﬁcations for speciﬁc facilities and are incompliance with regulation values.

Air Pollution Control Act

We have appointed pollution control managers and are in compliance withemission regulations, such as for soot and smoke.

Water Quality Pollution
Control Act

We do not have any equipment or facilities that fall under the category of speciﬁed facilities, but we have formulated rules and conduct drills, etc., at each workplace, especially with regard to measures to be taken in the event of a water leak.

Act on Rationalizing Energy Use(Energy Conservation Law)

We have appointed energy managers and report the following items every year.
・Actual energy consumption and energy conservation plans・Results of total transport volume and energy saving plans

Act on Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures (Law Concerning the Promotion of
Measures to Cope with Global Warming)

We calculate and report our greenhouse gas emissions annually.

Poisonous and Deleterious
Substances Control Act

In accordance with laws and regulations, we practice thorough control of all
target products, such as keeping chemical storage cabinets under lock and key,
and maintaining usage records.

Waste Management and Public
Cleansing Act (Waste Management
Law)

We properly store and dispose of waste products, issue manifests, keep records, andregularly report.

Industrial Safety and HealthAct

We provide training and guidance on the handling of chemical substances (facilities, management, measurement, etc.) related to the Ordinance on Prevention of Organic Solvent Poisoning and the Ordinance on Prevention of Hazards Due to Speciﬁed Chemical Substances.

Act on Promotion of Resource Circulation
for Plastics (Plastic Resource Recycling
Promotion Law)

In accordance with the newly enacted Plastic Resource Recycling Promotion
Law, we are working to further reduce and recycle waste plastic.

*With regard to environmental laws and regulations, we conduct internal audits once or twice a year in order to conﬁrm that each department remains in a state of compliance.
In addition, we are constantly promoting the acquisition of environment-related qualiﬁcations such as Pollution Control Manager and Energy Manager, and through the provisionof training we are working to improve environmental awareness and thoroughly comply with laws and regulations.

4manufacturing process and4 Refractory
energy consumption
The type and amount of energy consumed in the refractory manufacturing process diﬀers
from product to product. Our products are broadly classiﬁed into three types: monolithic
refractories, unﬁred bricks, and ﬁred bricks. Figure 4 is a schematic representation of theamount of power and fuel consumed in each manufacturing process.
Legends❖From raw materials to completed product❖

Energy consumption(CO₂ emissions)Monolithic
refractories

UnﬁredFiredbricksbricksElectricity

Fuel

E

F

Low
High

E

F

➡

Mining raw materials without resource depletion(raw materials manufacturer)②Crushing➡

Crushing raw materials and grading by component and granularity(raw materials manufacturer)③Weighing➡

Materials used areautomatically weighed on scales➡

E④Mixing➡

Mixing of diﬀerent kinds of materials➡

E⑤Kneading➡

Mixing of raw materials with binder➡

E⑥Molding➡

Bricks formed in presses➡

E⑦Drying➡

Bricks dried at low heatin drying furnaces

➡

E

F

➡

Bricks ﬁred at high heatin ﬁring furnaces

➡

E

F

➡

Cutting, polishing and ﬁnishingin processing machines➡

E⑩Inspection and packaging➡

Finished bricks are inspected and packaged⑪Product storage and shipment➡

Products delivered to the customer⑧Firing⑨Machining

Krosaki Harimaʼs
manufacturing process①Raw materials

Figure 4 Energy consumption in Krosaki Harima s manufacturing process

55 Environmental performance data
5 -1 Greenhouse gas control initiatives
1) Changes in CO₂ emissions
Figure 5-1 shows the changes in Krosaki Harima's CO₂ emissions and total productionof refractories and auxiliary raw materials for steelmaking. CO₂ emissions reﬂect
increases and decreases in production. In ﬁscal 2021, CO₂ emissions increased slightly
compared to ﬁscal 2013 due to a V-shaped recovery in refractory and auxiliary raw
material production. The energy-saving measures that we have been systematicallypromoting since the latter half of ﬁscal 2021 are also progressing steadily. We willcontinue to promote these energy-saving measures to achieve our CO₂ emission

250,000

125%
Company-wide CO₂
emission volumes (Scope 1, 2)

Total production volume of refractories
and auxiliary materials for steelmaking

CO₂ emission volumes (t-CO₂)

200,000

100%

150,000

75%

FY2030target -50%
against
FY2013100,000

50%

Aiming for
substantial
carbon neutrality
including carbon
oﬀset measuresin ﬁscal 2050

50,000

0

25%

0%
2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2030

2050

Total production volume of refractories and auxiliary materials for steelmaking (rate compared to FY2013 volume)

reduction targets.

Fiscal year
Figure 5-1 Changes in CO₂ emissions and total production volume (FY2013 to FY2021)

6

2) FY2021 carbon neutral activity results
100%

LED conversion ratio①All lighting throughout Company to be
switched to LED
Lighting throughout the Company (plants,sites, oﬃces) has been actively switchedfrom ﬂuorescent lamps and mercury lamps
to LED lighting. From the second half ofﬁscal 2020, we accelerated the conversion toLED, and by the end of ﬁscal 2021, hadcompleted conversion of about 70% of alllighting to LED. (Figure 5-2) The switch overwill continue, and our aim is to switch to full
LED lighting in ﬁscal 2022.

80%
60%
40%
20%
0%

2013

2020
2021
Fiscal year

2022

Figure 5-2 Company-wide lighting LED conversion②Introduction of power saving system for air conditioners
Electrical power reduction rate (%)

Electrical power consumption (index)

We have installed externalenergy-saving operation control
devices for air conditioners of acertain size or larger in the
Company. As shown in Figure
5-3, the air conditioning power
consumption at the Yahata Area
Control Center ﬂuctuates frommonth to month, and peaks inthe summer (August). However,
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
through stable control of the(FY2021)
The power consumption value isthe ratio when the monthly
control devices throughout thePower consumption
Power consumption
average value is 100.
volumereduction rateyear, we have achieved anannual average reduction rate of
Figure 5-3 Power consumption reduction eﬀect of air conditioning control systems(Yahata Area Control Center)
14.3%. In 2021, we introduced
33 operation control devices and continue to operate them at various plants and oﬃces. We
will continue to expand the introduction of these devices in ﬁscal 2022.
③Energy conservation by limiting the amount of heat released from the refractory
brick drying furnace in the plant (using heat shield sheets)
From the latter half of ﬁscal 2021, the outer wall of thedrying furnace was covered with heat shield sheets (Photo5-1), and as a result of promoting energy conservation bylimiting the amount of heat released from the furnace, fuelconsumption was reduced by approximately 8%. In ﬁscal
2022, our plan is to expand the application of these heatshield sheets to numerous drying furnaces and ﬁring
furnaces used by Krosaki Harima.
Along with expansion of the measures described above,
we will introduce additional measures as we advance our initiatives.

Photo 5-1 Drying furnace with heat shield sheets73) Providing CO₂ reduction and other global environmental conservation oriented solutions to customers①Krosaki Harima thermal ceramics
Heat is an essential in practically all aspects of industry. The
strength of Krosaki Harima's Ceramics Division is that we
can apply the knowledge and technology related to heat
control that we have developed in our work with refractories
to heat insulating materials. In recent years, with the
reduction of CO₂ emissions being widely demanded as acountermeasure against global warming, we continue tocontribute to the reduction of societyʼs CO₂ emissions
through the application of our low thermal conductivity
insulation materials (nano insulation material) to household
fuel cells (Ene-Farm) and every kind of industrial furnace.

Photo 5-2 Nano insulation material and ﬂame

Applications: Steelmaking process, household fuel cells (Ene-Farm), automobiles, household
electrical appliances, industrial furnaces, etc.
Features: Krosaki Harima's nano insulation material is highly insulating with a thermal
conductivity lower than that of still air, so it is possible to minimize the energy loss that
occurs when energy is wasted without being converted into electric power or motive power.
Reducing this loss contributes to the miniaturization
and weight reduction of energy-saving equipment.
rickting bTemperature

Front surface
temperature(high temperature side)

Dissipatedheat
Back surface
temperature(low temperature side)

Thermal conductivity (W/m-k)

InsulaNano insulation material
Figure 5-4 Insulation material temperature image

Ceramic ﬁber
(128kg/m³)

Lower thermal
conductivity
than still air
lw

era

Min

m³)

kg/

120

(
ool

Calc

l

ane

te p

ilica

s
ium

Still airNano insulation material

Temperature (°C)

Figure 5-5 Thermal conductivity graph*Values for each type of insulation material are
representative and are not guaranteed ones.

Products that are safe for people
and the environment
At Krosak Harima, we sell ﬁbrous insulation materials

that use biosoluble ﬁbers (BSF), which present only a

low level of hazard to people and the environment. We

are also responding to the demand for alternatives to

RCF products, which are designated as speciﬁc chemical
substances due to concerns about carcinogenicity andother hazards to the human body.

Photo 5-3 Biosoluble ﬁber Super Wool8

②Krosaki Harima industrial furnaces"Heat" is indispensable in every
aspect of industry, not only in the
manufacture of steel and cement,
but also in that of glass and chemical
products, power generation andincineration facilities, and in therefractories that Krosaki Harima
manufactures. The equipment that
controls heat is a "furnace," andthe furnaces used for industrial
products are collectively called
Photo 5-4 Energy-saving reheating furnace"industrial furnaces." By installingthe high-performance refractories developed and supplied by Krosaki Harima's Refractory
Manufacturing Division to the energy-saving industrial furnaces designed by the Furnace
Division, we have improved the energy eﬃciency of industrial furnaces, thereby contributing to
the reduction of CO₂ emissions.

Contributions to energy saving by the joint eﬀorts of the Refractory Manufacturing Division
and Furnace Division(Engineering and Construction)
Construction engineering of industrial
furnaces with excellent exhaust
heat recovery performance

Suppression of exhaust heat volume,
lowering of exhaust heat temperature

Providing refractories withexcellent thermal
insulation performance

Reduction of thermal loss fromfurnace walls③Refractory construction for biomass power
generation boilers
We construct and sell refractories for boilers forbiomass power generation. "Biomass power
generation" is a power generation method thatuses biomass (energy resources produced byliving organisms, excluding fossil fuels such as
petroleum). Electrical power is generated bydirectly burning biomass, the energy source, or byfermenting and gasifying it and then burning it to
extract energy and generate electricity. It is
attracting global attention as an electrical power
generation method with low environmental
impact. As the demand for biomass power
generation is expected to increase further
in the years ahead, we will contribute toenvironmentally-conscious power supply
through the construction and sale of refractories.

Combustion
gas

Fluid
sand

BoilerCycloneFluid
sand

Furnace
Fluid sandBi
fueomal fe ss
ed

Fluid
sand

Loop seal

Combustion air

Figure 5-6 Image diagram of biomass power generation

9

5 -2 Initiatives to protect the co-existence of people and nature
1) Reduction of industrial waste
Figure 5-7 shows the volume of brick scraps and sludge discharged as industrial wastefrom our plants. This discharge is gradually decreasing. We will continue to work tofurther reduce discharge and improve recycling rates.
6000

Discharge volume (t)

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

0
2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Fiscal year
Figure 5-7 Changes in company-wide industrial waste (brick scraps, sludge) discharge2) Pollutant discharge management, chemical substance management
At Krosaki Harima, we continue to strive to control
air pollutants, such as the dust, sulfur oxides andnitrogen oxides, etc., that are contained in the sootand smoke that are emitted by manufacturing
equipment such as ﬁring furnaces, drying furnaces
and boilers. We are working to protect local
environments by setting voluntary control values forsoot and smoke and strengthening our control ofthese emissions. In addition, with regard to thehandling of poisonous and deleterious substances,in compliance with the pertinent laws andregulations, we practice thorough control of suchproducts, such as keeping chemical storage cabinets
under lock and key, and maintaining usage records.

Measurement hole

Measurement tool

Chimney

Photo 5-5 Soot and dust measurement10

5 - 3 Initiatives to protect water resources

Company-wide water usage volume (10,000 tons)

1) Management and reuse of discharge water
At Krosaki Harima, we have been continuing water conservation activities for many years
as part of our eﬀorts to protect water resources. In ﬁscal 2021, our company-wide water
usage was 359,000 tons, an 18% reduction from 436,000 tons in ﬁscal 2013, showing a
gradual decrease in the amount of water usage over the past eight years. (Figure 5-8)
We are also taking on the challenge of recycling wastewater, thereby contributing to the
reduction of water usage and wastewater discharge. Some of our plants are working topurify their wastewater at the water treatment facilities and reuse some of that in the
manufacturing process (Photo 5-6), and we plan to actively promote the reuse of water
throughout the Company's operations in the months and years ahead.
Going forward, we will continue to thoroughly maintain and manage our facilities toconserve water and use environmentally-friendly wastewater.
45

40

35

30

25

20
2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Fiscal year
Figure 5-8 Changes in company-wide water usage volume (FY2013 to FY2021)

Photo 5-6 Water treatment facility Yahata Area)
At Yahata Area, from FY2022,
In Yahata Area, construction work to connect the factory and the water treatment facility is scheduled
for ﬁscal 2022 and beyond, enabling the recycling of water.

112) Training to prevent pollution of public water resources
Every year, in Yahata Area and Bizen Area, we hold drills that imagine an incident inwhich oil ﬂows out from the rainwater gutters, and we train to use sandbags and lay oilbooms to stem ﬂooding. These drills are conducted based on the assumption that, inYahata Area, the water will ﬂow into the Kuki River that ﬂows along the area, and thatin Bizen Area it will ﬂow into the adjacent Seto Inland Sea. Training our staﬀ toanticipate and respond to the risk of accidents at each workplace means that, in theunlikely event that an environmental accident occurs, all of our workers will be able torespond quickly to protect the local rivers and sea from pollution.

Photo 5-7 Oil boom deployment training (Yahata Area)

12

5 - 4 Initiatives for the realization of a recycling-oriented society
1) Reduce ‒ Limiting industrial waste①Reducing the amount paper used in the oﬃce
At Krosaki Harima, we are working to reduce the amount of oﬃce paper used byholding online meetings and using conference rooms with projectors and monitors,
and running no-misprint campaigns. As a result of these activities, our company-wide
oﬃce paper usage in ﬁscal 2021 was 3,422,000 sheets (3,912,000 sheets in ﬁscal
2020), a reduction of 490,000 sheets (-12.5%, year on year).

Paper usage -12.5% year on year

490,000 sheet reduction

FY2021
Oﬃce paper usage

FY2020Oﬃce paper usage

3,422,000 sheets

3,912,000 sheets②Active use of online meetings
As part of the drive to reduce the amount of
paper used in the oﬃce, we have been
making active use of online meetings. Goingforward, we will continue to work actively for
global environmental conservation throughteleworking and other activities that help tolimit the generating of garbage.
③Electronic seals
Switching to a document approval method
using an electronic seal, instead of being
stamped or signed on paper, has lead to a
reduction in the amount of OA paper used.

Photo 5-8 Personal booth for online meetings

Reduction of industrial waste by participating in activities to recycle work clothes and helmets
Since 2019, we have participated in activities to recycle work clothes and helmets. For thework clothes, we have Midori Anzen Co., Ltd., the supplier, recycle them in their recycling
system called "MIDORI WIDEACS." Collected used work clothes are garneted and processed
into felt and ﬁnally used in soundproof sheeting for automobile interiors.
Additionally, we have our helmet supplier, Nippon Kanryu Industry Co., Ltd., collect usedhelmets and participate in the Tanizawa Eco Approach operated by the helmet manufacturer,
Tanizawa Seisakusho, Ltd. Recycled helmets ﬁnd new life as clean energy to be used in thefactory at the environmental countermeasure facility "Ecolo (Clean Energy Recycling Plant)".

132) Reuse①Reuse of wooden pallets and container bags
At Krosaki Harima, we are working on reusing the wooden pallets that are used forloading products and the container bags used for packing raw materials and products.
Wooden pallets can be reused about 10 times per pallet by repairing damaged partsand reinforcing worn parts. Each container bag is reused about 3 to 5 times byinspecting used bags for damage and cleaning them so that they can be used again.
Going forward, we will continue to promote the eﬀective use of resources and global
environmental conservation by actively promoting reuse initiatives.

Photo 5-9 Pallet Management Center

Photo 5-10 Container bag cleaning station

3) Recycle①Promotion of refractory recycling
At Krosaki Harima, we have been using recycled products since the company was founded, and formore than 20 years we have collaborated with our customers to further expand the use of recycled
products while maintaining quality. We also undertake recycling contract work at customers'
steelworks and promote the reduction of industrial waste and the recycling of refractories through acomprehensive range of activities, from thecollection and sorting of used refractories to
Steelworks, etc.
their use in the manufacture of new products.
Going forward, we will continue to actively
Products
promote recycling activities for the building of a
RecycleRecovery ofrecycling-oriented society for refractory raw
Reuse
used bricks
materials, which are ﬁnite resources.

RecoveryCrushing/Grading

Sorting

Manufacture

DryingFinished products

Figure 5-10 Refractory recycling process

Krosaki Harima
Figure 5-9 Refractory recycle ﬂow

Photo 5-11 Used refractories after crushing and grading

14

②Development and delivery of recycled landscape materials
Our Ceramics Division develops and delivers recycled landscaping materials that reduce theburden on the environment by using various waste materials such as factory waste andconstruction site excavated soil as raw materials. We believe that our eﬀorts will help promote"new town development" by building a recycling-oriented society through the reduction of theenvironmental load by the use of products that have excellent water permeability while
maintaining their aesthetic appeal in landscaping, as well as by recycling industrial waste.
Recycled bricks "Neo Series"
High temperature ﬁring reinforces the binding of the
raw materials, resulting in high quality reproduction.
●Recycle rate: 60%●Main recycled materials: refractory brick scraps,
urban waste, etc.
*1

Eco Mark certiﬁcation number
05 109 028
05 109 029*2

Fukuoka Prefecture certiﬁed
recycled product*3

Kitakyushu City certiﬁed recycledconstruction materials

Photo 5-12 Island City (Higashi Ward, Fukuoka City)

Recycled paving slabs "Krosaki LS Paving Kawara"
Roof tiles from the historic Kokura Castle have been used asrecycled raw materials.
Kitakyushu-specialty products rooted in the local community●Recycle ratio: approx. 20%●Main recycled raw material: tiles from Kokura Castle, molten slag

Kitakyushu City certiﬁed recycledconstruction materials

Photo 5-13 Senba Square (Kokura-Kita Ward)

Recycled thin-layer color paving "Cera Stage"
Recycle product developed as thin-layer color paving●Recycle ratio: 50%●Main recycled materials: tiles from Kokura Castle,
ceramic scraps

Kitakyushu City certiﬁed recycledconstruction materials

Photo 5-14 Sone Rinkai Park (Kokura-Minami Ward)

All of the above products have acquired "Kitakyushu City recycled construction materials
certiﬁcation.” This certiﬁcation is granted based on a comprehensive evaluation of theenvironmental impact of each of the products at all stages, from manufacture and use todisposal or reuse, in addition to the aspects of performance, quality and economy. We willcontinue to develop new projects with a keen awareness of our responsibility to play a partin urban development, in accordance with Kitakyushu City's environmental measures.
*1 Eco Mark Certiﬁcation https://www.ecomark.jp/*2 Fukuoka Prefecture recycled product certiﬁcation program https://www.recycle-ken.or.jp/nintei/index.html*3 Kitakyushu City recycled construction materials certiﬁcation program https://www.city.kitakyushu.lg.jp/gi-kan/02300009.html

15

Reusing refractory bricks that have served their purpose in steel manufacturing
and recycling them as landscaping materials
The Former Yasukawa Residence (designated by Kitakyushu City as a tangible culturalproperty) is located in a corner of Yomiya Park in Tobata Ward, Kitakyushu City. This is the
mansion where Keiichiro Yasukawa, an entrepreneur who built the foundations ofKitakyushu City, lived. Designated as a tangible cultural property of Kitakyushu City in 2018,the house is now fully open to the public from April 2022.
The garden created as part of the Former Yasukawa House Utilization Project is named theIron Memorial Plaza. Silica bricks that have served well for decades in high-temperature
furnaces are being recycled as landscape materials for the paving in this garden. At this site,
the bricks that were actually used in the steelmaking process are now ﬁnding new roles aspaving landscape materials, with each one having its own, unique colors and hues.

Photo 5-15 & 16 Former Yasukawa Residence "Iron Memorial Plaza"16

6 Initiatives for co-existence with local communities
Donations of exhibits to the Kitakyushu City Science Museum "Space LABO" (Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture)
As a local manufacturing company, Krosaki Harima donated a set of exhibits to the
Kitakyushu City Science Museum "Space LABO", which opened in April 2022.
In the corporate exhibition area on the second
ﬂoor, there is our non-contact refractory
manufacturing demo game as well as exhibits
including samples of refractories and raw
materials we donated. In the Space Exhibition
Area on the 3rd ﬂoor, there are exhibits ofﬁne ceramics we donated for use in satellites(prototypes under contract with JAXA). We
hope that these exhibits will inspire thechildren who will drive the future to develop
an interest in science and manufacturing.
Photo 6-1 Refractory manufacturing demo game

Photo by Ooki Jingu

Photo 6-2 Exhibits of samples of refractories and raw materials

Photo 6-3 Exhibits of ﬁne ceramics used in satellites

Contribution to greening by participating in sponsoring ﬂower beds (Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture)
We have been supporting Kitakyushu City's Flowers for Town Beautiﬁcation Project as aﬂower bed sponsor since the ﬁrst year of the project. By 2021, we had been sponsoring
the project for 15 years. The aim of the project is to promote the creation of a beautiful,pleasant, and enriching town by actively incorporating ﬂowers into street corners. There
are ﬂower beds with the Krosaki nameplate in Katsuyama Park at the South Exit of JR
Kokura Station, Kokura-Kita Ward, and in front of JR Kurosaki Station, Yahata-Nishi
Ward. In the future also, we want to continue to make eﬀorts to collaborate with
Kitakyushu City's project and revitalize Kitakyushu as an environmental city.

Photo 6-4 Nameplate at JR Kokura Station South Exit

Photo 6-5 Nameplate at JR Kurosaki Station

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Higashihamamachi Underpass Renovation (Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture)
In 2019, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Company's founding, and as part ofthe commemorative project, we renovated a railway underpass that leads from the HeadOﬃce to National Route 3 under the title of "Higashihama Route 1 Beautiﬁcation Project."
The inside of the underpass itself is decorated with panels reﬂecting the history of Krosaki
Harima and Yahata Steel Works (now Nippon Steel Kyushu Works Yahata Area) andpassers-by are greeted by the sight of seasonal ﬂowers in ﬂowerbeds using landscapebricks made by Krosaki Harima, which is much appreciated by local people.

Photo 6-6 Higachihamamachi Route 1 Railway Underpass

Photo 6-7 Inside the railway underpass

Opening natural disaster emergency evacuation sites to local residents (Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture)
Krosaki Harima has agreed to make the Head Oﬃce and training center available asevacuation shelters for nearby residents in the event of an emergency (accommodating
approximately 175 people). As part of the "Minna de Bousai (Disaster Prevention
Together) Project," which is Kitakyushu's initiative to strengthen local disaster prevention
capabilities, we are endorsing the establishment of emergency evacuation areas for eachdisaster prevention neighborhood association, with the aim of having zero casualties in
the Kurosaki Chuo school district (Jinyama), in which Krosaki Harima's Head Oﬃce islocated. In the future, we will continue to contribute to regional disaster prevention as alocal company.

18

Coexisting with local communities
andbequeathing a beautiful Earth to future generations