DOWA Corporate Social Responsibility Report 2010

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History and Environmental Initiatives

Corporate History and Environmental Commitment

Corporate History Environmental & Social Commitment
Meiji Era 1869 Denzaburo Fujita establishes a business, Fujita-Gumi in Osaka.
From the latter half of 1890s and the first half of 1900s.
Several hydroelectric power plants were constructed in Kosaka. They still supply 50% of power to Kosaka Smelting and Refining.
September
1884
The Japanese Government sells the Kosaka Mine to the Fujita-Gumi.
June
1897
Kosaka Choshi Power Plant, Japan's second hydroelectric power plant, commences operations.  
May
1899
Kojima Bay reclamation work launches.  
June
1902
Kosaka Black Ore Flash Smelter commences operations  
 
Corporate History Environmental & Social Commitment
Taisho Era April
1915
Fujita Gumi acquires Hanaoka Mine.  
September
1916
Fujita Gumi acquires Tanahara Mine.  
March
1919
Toyosaki Rolling Mill (present DOWA Metal Co., Ltd.) established.  
 
Corporate History Environmental & Social Commitment
Showa Era December
1945
Corporate name changed to DOWA Mining Co., Ltd.  
August
1953
Constructed Okayama works established, commences operations.  
June
1959
A new black ore mine discovered in Uchinotai area of Kosaka.  
   
1962
Method to select metal concentrates and return the remaining mining wastes back to the mine to reduce mining wastes adopted for developing Uchinotai Mine in Kosaka.
June
1964
A new black ore mine discovered in Matumine area of Hanaoka.  
September
1967
Kosaka Flash Smelter Plant completed, commences operations.
1967
Dowa Mining changed the smelting and refining method of Kosaka Smelting and Refining to a more energy saving method of melting ores using reaction heat of ores and installed facilities to collect sulfurous acid gas to convert it to liquid sulfurous acid.
July
1969
A new black ore mine discovered in Fukazawa area of Hanaoka.
1969
Facilities established to safely deposit mining wastes in a site where no environmental pollution may occur, in cooperation with Akita Prefecture (Four yeas before enforcement of the Law on Special Measures for Mine Damage Caused by the Metal Mining Industry, etc).
1970
"Letter of Agreement on an Zinc Smelting and Refining Plant to be Established by DOWA" executed the with Akita Prefecture and Akita City. Akita Zinc Co., Ltd. positioned as a "Green Smelting and Refining Plant", trees planted in 53% of its site of 600,000 m2.
February
1971
Akita Zinc Co., Ltd. established  
November
1972
Akita plant completed, commences operations.
First half of 1970s
Dowa Mining started the efforts to completely collect metals other than just the target metals to reduce mining wastes.
April
1973
Central Laboratory established.
   
1974
Pit-water treatment technology using bacteria implemented for the first time in Japan that is connected to resource-recycling, energy-saving and environmental conservation.
December
1980
Kosaka Lead Smelting facility completed, commences operations.  
August 1982 Semiconductor Materials Laboratory established.  
September 1983 Okayama Works completed, commences manufacturing metal powders.  
September 1986 Hanaoka Mining Co., Ltd. established.  
June 1988 Akita LED Factory completed, commences operations.  
 
Corporate History Environmental & Social Commitment
Heisei Era March
1989
DOWA INTERNATIONAL CORP. established.  
May
1989
Kosaka Smelting and Refining Co., Ltd. established.  
April
1991
Dowa Mining absorbs Tokyo Heat Treatment Co., Ltd., establishes Thermotech headquarters.  
May
1992
MINERA TIZAPA, S.A.DE C.V. established.  
December
1992
Shiojiri Works completed.  
   
1993
DOWA's environmental voluntary plan prepared to respond to increasing global awareness on the global environment issues. Energy Committee and Environmental Conservation Committee established under the Business Strategic Council for active environmental efforts.
August
1994
Operations commenced at the Tizapa Mine.
1994
"DOWA group's Response to the Issues of the Ozone layer Destruction" prepared. Steam supply started to Tohoku Power's Kamino-Tai geothermal power plant.
   
1995
"DOWA group's Response to the Wastes Issues" prepared.
1996
"DOWA group's Status Survey on Environmental Issues" conducted.
August
1997
DOWA THT AMERICA, INC. established.  
   
1998
Environmental survey conducted on all aspects of DOWA's business activities based on items of ISO 14001.
1999
Volume of hazardous substances handled within the DOWA group was surveyed.
April
2000
In-house company system implemented.
2000
Preparation of Environmental Report started.
June
2000
Nippon Purle Limited joins the Dowa group.  
April
2001
E&E Solutions, Inc. joins the Dowa group.
2001
Status survey on wastes management, recycling and CO2 emission conducted. CO2 benchmarking of 1999 confirmed.
October
2001
Recycle Systems Japan Co., Ltd. established.
April
2002
Akita Zinc Solutions Co., Ltd. established.  
October
2002
Dowa Advanced Materials Shanghai Co., Ltd. established.  
April
2003
Zinc Excel Co., Ltd., Acids Co., Ltd., Geotechnos Co., Ltd. and Dowa Techno Engineering Co., Ltd. established.  
December
2003
Dowa Environmental Management Co., Ltd. established.  
October
2004
Dowa Techno Research established.  
December 2004 Green Fill Kosaka (final landfill disposal site) completed.  
   
2005
PCB disposal plan prepared. Early registration and provision completed.
February
2006
Act-B Recycling Co., Ltd. joins the Dowa group.
2006
Chairman Yoshikawa participates in the World Economic Forum held in the 8th Basel Convention (Nairobi) as a representative from Asia.
March
2006
Dowa relocates Head Office to Akihabara, Tokyo.
August
2006
CEMM Co., Ltd. joins the Dowa group.
October
2006
Holding company system implemented. New group management system started with five operating companies.
Dowa Mining Co., Ltd. changed its name to Dowa Holdings Co., Ltd.
April
2007

DOWA Thermotech(Thailand)Co., Ltd. established to offer maintenance service of heat treatment processing equipment and facilities in Thailand.
Taiwan office of DOWA ECO-SYSTEM established.

2007
The first "Home Town Afforestation" planting ceremony held with 400 participants including local people. 6,000 young trees planted.
August
2007
New furnace for recycled materials completed in Kosaka Smelting and Refining.
September
2007
DOWA HD EUROPE GmbH established in Germany.
November
2007
DOWA METANIX Co., Ltd. and DOWA-OLIN METAL CORPORATION join the Dowa group.
May
2008
The CDM business established to recover methane from hog farms in the Philippines jointly with Itochu Corporation.
2008
The second "Home Town Afforestation" planting ceremony held with 430 participants including local people, 6000 young trees planted.
Participation in "Team Minus 6%"
May
2008
New environmentally friendly heat treatment plant completed in Ohta City, Gunma.
August
2008
A biodiesel fuel manufacturing company established in Okayama City, Okayama.
February
2009
MAEH Inc. a waste disposal company in South East Asia acquired.
2009
Participation in the UN Global Compact.
3,000 Kawazu cherry threes planted for the "Lake Kojima Blossom Corridor Project".
Participated in Carbon Offset Network (CO-Net) as a board of director company
Recognized as A rated company by Development Bank of Japan (DBJ)
The third "Hometown Afforestation" planting ceremony was held with 300 participants including local people, and 3,300 young trees planted.
March
2009
The largest-class waste incineration furnace in Eco-System Chiba completed in Sodegaura City, Chiba.
June
2009

Invested in Akagi Koyu Co., Ltd. (Midori City, Gunma Prefecture), an industrial wastes disposal company.

December
2009

A waste melting recycling company, Meltech (Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture) joined the DOWA group.
March
2010
Succeeded in commercialization of "deep UV LED" with the world-class output toward mass production.
A new home electric and electronic appliance company was established in Tianjin, China.
Environmental & Social Initiatives
2010
The first "Lake Kojima Blossom Corridor Cherry Blossoms Festival" was held with 10,000 visitors and 3,900 trees planted.

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