In September 2015, the "Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)" was adopted at the United Nations "Sustainable Development Summit". The SDGs clearly state 17 goals and 169 targets to be resolved by 2030 on a global scale. To achieve this sustainable development goal by 2030, we are required to take action in every global sector including corporates.
Social Issues related to the Effective Use of Resources
Goal and Target of SDGs and DOWA’s Initiatives
"Effective utilization of resources", which is one of the 17 goals of SDGs, is an area that is most familiar to our business as it utilizes metal resources and it is an important social issue.
Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
| 12.4 |
By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. |
| 12.5 |
By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. |
The naturally available ores will be depleted with continued consumption. Recycling is one solution for effective utilization of resources, but it also requires the technology to efficiently recover metals as well as the technology and infrastructure for safely handling the harmful and non-useful items generated in the process. At the same time, it also includes the technological and economic issues to be solved in recycling, such as building a social system that efficiently collects recycled materials, labor and cost of processing a wide variety of raw materials, etc. The DOWA Group is working on the use of sustainable metal resources while facing such challenges.
Examples of the Approach of DOWA Group
Towards the Utilization of Sustainable Metal Resources
Optimization of value chain in resource recycling
The DOWA Group is developing a wide range of recycling businesses for precious metals, home appliances, automobiles, used small home appliances, etc. Rather than carrying out single recycling in a fragmentary chain, we are enhancing resource efficiency by combining processes based on the characteristics of the facilities owned and the geographical situation of the sites. In cooperation with departments such as waste disposal, transportation and research laboratories, we are taking initiatives to make effective use of resources while balancing environmental conservation and safety. In addition, we are taking initiatives to optimize the value chain with different sectors and external partners as necessary.
Promotion of International Resource Recycling
In the future, as we consider sustainable use of resources throughout the world, it is also necessary to work across borders to reduce the environmental impact and maximize resource efficiency. Japan is a country that has been working on the "3R" from the early days to reduce environmental impact and promote the efficient utilization of resources. DOWA group has been developing metal recycling, home appliance recycling and waste treatment business in China, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia leveraging the recycling technology established in Japan and resources such as infrastructure, knowledge, experience and personnel. We are also building a global resource recycling system that complies with environmental conservation, such as collecting recycled materials overseas through sampling factories in the US and the Czech Republic and collecting rare metals at domestic smelters.
