Waste Reduction and Recycling
Waste reduction is an important issue in terms of both preserving the global environment andalleviating the burden on incinerators and other waste disposal facilities. Our philosophy is,“Minimize waste generation, maximize recycling of wastes that are generated, and properly dispose ofwastes that cannot be recycled.” In accordance with this philosophy, every TEL Group plant reduces
the amount of waste it generates and sorts wastes to facilitate recycling.

■ Total Waste Volume
The bar graph at right shows the progression of the TEL Group’s total waste volume, on a year-toyear basis. The linear graph shows changes in the basic units, calculated by dividing waste volume
by sales of each year. For the purpose of comparing yearly results, the basic units (used to show therelationship between sales and waste volume) are calculated by taking the result of fiscal year 1997
as 100 points (100%). In fiscal year 1999, we started keeping a tally of the amount of waste
generated by our non-manufacturing facilities, in addition to those at our manufacturing plants.
In fiscal year 2000, waste volume at
Trend in Waste Volume
manufacturing plants and research
(ton)
(%)
facilities grew in tandem with the
10,000250
Waste volume9,267.6
Basic unit
substantial rise in production volume
9,000
8,072.4200
8,000and utilization of plant capacity. As a7,109.3
7,000
6,347.1
result, the TEL Group’s total waste
150
6,000
volume increased compared to that
5,000
in fiscal year 1999. However, the100
4,000
basic unit improved considerably,
3,000
50
2,000
from 121.4 points in fiscal year 1999
1,000to 72.2 points in fiscal year 2000.
00
FY97
FY98
FY99
FY00This is equivalent to a drop of over
40 percent, or, 59.5% decrease of theWaste volume
Basic unit = — (FY1997 = 100%)
1999 figure.
Sales■ Breakdown of Waste Volume
Liquid wastes (including liquids classified as specially controlled industrial wastes) account forsome 47.8% of waste volume, followed in order by paper, scrap metal/product, and plastic waste.
All liquid wastes that cannot be disposed of in-house are collected and properly disposed of byoutside contractors.
Breakdown of TEL Group’s FY2000 Waste Volume
Total waste volume 9,267.6 t
Glass, beverage containers,
packaging materials,
incinerated ash
3.0%

Other
8.3%

Paper
14.5%
Plastic
5.0%
Scrap metal/
product
12.2%

Liquid waste
30.1%
Specially controlledliquid waste
17.7%

Scrap wood
3.8%
Cafeteria garbage
1.3%

Breakdown of FY2000 Waste Volume by Location
Miyagi
Yokohama 2.9%
4.0%
Fuchu

Koshi
3.0%

Ozu
3.2%

5.0%

Hosaka25.3%

Sagami
5.7%
Kumamoto
16.3%

Tohoku
8.5%
Fujii
11.9%

Saga
14.3%

■ Examples of Initiatives to Reduce Paper Waste
At our Osaka branch office, we have greatly reduced paper use and have reduced the volume ofoverall paper waste by installing air dryers in place of the paper towels in our bathrooms. We arealso promoting the reduction of PPC paper use in all of our plants, also as part of our effort toreduce paper waste.

■ SortingSorting is essential for recycling to work. At every plant, we collect wastes sorted into 26–46
different classifications by their physical properties.

■ Supervision of Waste Treatment Plants and Contractors
At each of our facilities, we select and oversee contractors that handle interim treatment and final
disposal of wastes. Before contracting with a new contractor for waste disposal services, we conduct
a official certification check, including verification of its license status and on-site inspection of its
facilities.
We thus make sure that the contractor has the capability to properly and lawfully process and/or
dispose of our wastes. Even after a contractor is selected, we conduct periodic on-site inspections toascertain the status of its operations.

Waste storage facility (Koshi Plant)

Inspection of final waste-disposal site

■ Recycling
We mainly recycle paper, beverage containers, scrap wood, glass, plastic waste, and metal. Over thepast five years, the TEL Group’s aggregate recycling rate progressively increased from 15.3% to40.9%, 49.7%, 55.2%, and 59.9%, respectively.
TEL Group Recycling Rate

(%)
10090
80
70

55.2

60
40.9

50

59.9

49.7

40
30
20

15.3

100

FY96

FY97

FY98

FY99

FY00

■ Examples of Recycling Programs at Offices• At the Osaka branch office, we have adopted “widespread use of recycled paper” as one of ourenvironmental targets and now use recycled paper in virtually all cases. In the future, we intend to fully
implement our policy of using non-recycled paper only when necessary.
• At the Akasaka headquarters and Fuchu Technology Center, we are now recycling even confidential
documents that were previously either shredded or incinerated. To do so, we teamed up with a recycling
contractor to implement a box-shuttling system that allows for complete confidentiality. A feature of thissystem is that it permits recycling of all types of paper, regardless of quality, resulting in a significant
contribution to environmental preservation efforts. It has been calculated that the effects of adopting thissystem (as opposed to incineration) include the reduction of 7,811 kg of carbon
dioxide emissions per year, and the conservation of 781 trees per year (with adiameter of 14 cm and a height of 8 m).
• At the Akasaka headquarters and Fuchu Technology Center, paper cups madefrom kenaf, non-wood material replacing wood fiber, have been introduced toreplace standard paper cups. Because they grow rapidly and may be harvested inonly six months absorbing large quantities of carbon dioxide during their growthPaper cups
made from kenaf
phase, it is considered to help preventing global warming.

■ Examples of Recycling Programs at Plants• At the Ozu and Koshi plants, kitchen garbage-disposal units have been
introduced to reduce overall garbage volumes. As a result, the amount ofgeneral waste generated at the plant has been reduced from 800 kg permonth to zero. In the area of waste paper, savings have been achieved bypromoting a reduction in the use of PPC paper.
• At the Miyagi plant, recycling rates of crating timber has been improved,following negotiations with timber recycling contractors. A total of 100 tof recycled timbers were used in fiscal year 2000, an increase of 7.5 times
A garbage-disposal unit
over the previous year.
• The Kumamoto and Koshi plants have established a paper-cup recycling system. As a result of this system,
89.8 kg (March 2001 figure) of paper cups that would have been incinerated as general waste is now
recycled for use in the production of toilet paper.
• The Kumamoto and Koshi plants have established recycling systems for clean papers which had so far been
unrecyclable and thus incinerated due to their surface processing to prevent fine particles. With thecooperation of everyone involved, non-recyclable clean paper has been replaced by recyclable clean paper,thus allowing it to be recycled along with magazines and catalogs.

Toilet paper made fromrecycled paper cups

Recyclable clean paper