Reducing Waste Products
To contribute to the effective utilization of resources, Hitachi Construction Machinery Group is working to reduce the waste which accompanies business activity.We are proactively promoting the 3R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle) while putting a focus on production locations, the minimization or avoidance through the effective use of raw materials and resources taken from nature. We also aim to realize a circular economy while reducing waste (including hazardous waste) by using recycled materials, reusing and recycling products and parts.
In FY 2023, Hitachi Construction Machinery Group reduced amount of waste and valuables generated by 10% compared to the previous year.
We define waste under the Basel Convention as hazadous waste , the amount generated was 202 tons in FY2021, 165 tons in FY2022 and 192 tons in FY2023.
The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group is working to make continuous improvements with targets such as rate of improvement in the basic unit of specific volume of waste and valuables generated, and rate of recycling plastic waste.
Major initiatives for waste management and reduction
- Waste separation check through internal environmental audits and inspections
- Promoting the conversion of waste oil and sludge generated during production processes into valuable materials
- Collaboration with industry organizations to recycle slag generated during the production process
- Collecting used parts and recycle them
- Employee education program for proper waste separation
Environmental Goals
| Type | Amount of Waste Produced (t) | Amount of waste disposed of, by disposal method | How disposal method is decided | Criterion, Method, Prerequisite, Other | |
| Amount recycled (t) | Amount landfilled (t) | ||||
| Sludge | 5,292 | 5,251 | 41 | Information received from waste-disposal contractors | Based on electronic manifests and measured data |
| Waste oil | 4,035 | 4,030 | 5 | ||
| Waste plastic | 2,801 | 2,304 | 497 | ||
| Waste paper | 3,396 | 2,569 | 827 | ||
| Wood offcuts | 3,984 | 3,952 | 33 | ||
| Scrap metal | 39,588 | 39,413 | 176 | ||
| Other | 41,709 | 25,037 | 16,672 | ||
| Total | 100,805 | 82,555 | 18,250 | ||
Zero Emissions Achievement Office
Manufacturing bases are working on a zero emission program. The zero emissions performance criterion for the Hitachi Construction Machinery Group is a maximum final disposal rate of 0.5% (landfill disposal levels/waste product generation levels) for the fiscal year.
The 2 production bases in Japan reached the FY2023 zero emissions target; Hitachi Construction Machinery Banshu Works and Tadakiko.
And as oversea bases, Hefei Rijian Shearing Co.,Ltd., Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Pvt Ltd, Hitachi Construction Machinery Europe and Bradken Canada achieved zero emissions target.
Reuse and Recycling of Used Products
Proper disposal of waste
At Hitachi Construction Machinery Group, when we outsource the collection, transportation, or disposal of waste, we confirm that the waste processing methods and capabilities of the subcontractor are appropriate.
Furthermore, after outsourcing the collection, transportation, or disposal of waste, we conduct regular on-site inspections of the contractors to confirm that the waste is being disposed appropriately.
Ongoing Initiatives
Most of our waste is valuable resources such as cutting boards. Aiming for 100% recycling of waste other than valuable resources is also important from the perspective of environmental protection and the circular economy. At our company, we set the recycling rate as important management indicator, and each base promotes thorough sorting and reuse with the aim of becoming a zero-emission factory.
