ESG Library
Conservation of Environment
The DOWA Group is promoting business activities while considering material balance by quantitatively determining the input of necessary resources and energy at each stage of the business life cycle as well as the output of CO2 and waste generated by these activities.
Environmental Conservation Initiatives
Atmosphere and Water Management
The DOWA Group’s impact on the atmosphere and water is greatly affected by the composition of waste received by the Environmental Management & Recycling Business. Therefore, we are working to reduce the Group’s impact by enhancing our management systems at each business location and implementing standards that are more stringent than national regulations.
Use of Water Resources
Every year the DOWA Group confirms the status for water intake sources and drainage destinations in addition to water usage at production sites in Japan and overseas. We are working to reduce the amount of water used throughout the group by promoting efficient use within business sites to reduce our water intake.
Furthermore, the majority of the water resources used by the Group is seawater used by the Nonferrous Metals Business for cooling purposes.
Drainage Water
Similar to other water use, the majority of drainage water is used by the Nonferrous Metals Business for cooling purposes. After being checked for quality, this water is returned to its original source. The DOWA Group is committed to water quality, and its efforts to ensure water quality include water management at each business location and compliance with strict, self-imposed standards in addition to drainage water regulations.
Maintaining the Stability of Suspended or Closed Mines and Tailings Dams
We have established voluntary standards that are stricter than mining laws and regulations for the management of over 20 closed mines and over 30 tailings dams, most of which have suspended operations or closed down. By doing so, the DOWA Group is working to prevent mine pollution and maintain and improve safety.
Managing Water Resources
At suspended or closed mines, mine water, including acidic water or water containing heavy metals, may flow out of the pithead; thus, there is the risk that wastewater may flow into rivers and harm water quality and agricultural land. Accordingly, we have established voluntary management standards that are stricter than mining laws and regulations for the suspended or closed mines and tailing dams that we currently operate. By doing so, the DOWA Group is working to maintain healthy water circulation and an environment conducive to sustainable water use.
Maintaining the Stability of Suspended or Closed Mines and Tailing Dams
Mine wastewater treatment plants and tailings dam facilities are inspected on an irregular basis by public safety and inspection departments in each region. Most of the suspended or closed mines and tailings dams that we manage are facilities that ceased operations by 1980. These mines and dams are in very stable condition, with soil covering, mine pollution prevention work in place, and greening through the planting of flora.
We set the items for inspection and the frequency of inspection by location, including the tailings dams still in use, with qualified people doing patrol inspections of things such things as blocked pitheads, and check the slopes and culverts of tailings dams in order to quickly detect and repair points of deterioration and keep conditions stable.
