Overview of Business Activities
The DOWA group is engaged in environmental management & Recycling, Nonferrous Metals, electronic materials, metal processing and heat treatment businesses along with related transportation businesses.
We promote recycling of water, heat and waste in our production and transportation processes and are implementing various measures relating to energy including hydraulic and solar power generation, striving to save resources, energy and reduction of environmental burdens.
Material Balance of 2011
Material balance is the entire picture of environmental burden within the DOWA group, identifying the input amount of resources and energy into the business activities of the DOWA group ("INPUT") and the output amount of products produced and the discharged amount of substances imposing environmental burden ("OUTPUT").
In 2011 production increased compared to the previous year, along with the recovery of our operations and demands for our products from the Great East Japan Earthquake and with newly started businesses. Operations of our smelting and refining business (Akita Zinc) recovered and acceptance of minor PCB wastes started in our environment and recycling business (ECO-SYSTEM Sanyo), which affected our material balance to a great extent.
As mentioned above, "INPUT" and "OUTPUT" this year increased significantly as compared to the previous year. For specific figures, see the next pages.
[The Great East Japan Earthquake and Electricity]
Power consumption of the entire DOWA group increased as compared to the previous year, including purchased power by 22 GWh and in-house power generation by 7 GWh after the Great East Japan Earthquake. This is due to the increase of production in connection with the recovered demand for products and enhancement of in-house power generation to respond to public power shortages.
The following changes were observed.
Smelting and refining business: Hydraulic power generation and purchased power increased in connection with the increase of production
Metal processing business: Introduction of gas power generators and increased operation of existing heavy oil power generators
We will endeavor to further promote energy saving in our production facilities and improve production processes.
