Environmental report shows green credentials

A new environmental report summarises Renesas Technology's environmental initiatives for fiscal 2004.

A new environmental report summarises Renesas Technology's environmental initiatives for fiscal 2004, including the roadmap for reducing PFC gas emissions, the achievement of zero emissions at all 26 targeted sites, and the environmental assessment activities undertaken to reduce the energy and resource consumption associated with its products.

In addition, the report lists the company's targets for fiscal 2005.

Significant energy and water resources are consumed in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, and many varieties of chemical substances are used as well.

It is therefore essential that due consideration be given to the environment.

Since its establishment Renesas Technology has engaged in environmental initiatives covering its production operations and the products themselves.

These initiatives have been inspired by the company's basic environmental philosophy: "Renesas Technology will provide continuous reassurance, comfort, and help people fulfill their dreams, by maintaining and promoting of environmental conservation through all of our business activities and employees' actions".

Specifically, Renesas is undertaking active efforts to create "eco- factories" at the production operations of all business locations, including affiliated companies involved in manufacturing.

These efforts include initiatives to conserve energy, reduce emissions of PFC gas (which are greenhouse gas), and achieve zero emissions of waste products.

On the occasion of the issuance of the report, Shigeo Otaka, General Manager of Corporate Environment and Safety Strategic Planning Office in CSR Business Unit, remarked: "Since the establishment of Renesas Technology in 2003, we have given the highest priority to environmental preservation as a key aspect of CSR (corporate social responsibility) and worked hard to reduce the environmental impact of our operations.

I am very pleased that as a result we are now issuing our second environmental report.

I feel that environmental initiatives are becoming increasingly important".

"For example, policies for preventing global warming have become compulsory since the Kyoto Protocol took effect in February of this year".

"In the years ahead Renesas Technology will continue to strengthen its efforts in this area and work to help preserve the global environment".

Renesas has also begun an "eco-products" initiative aimed at increasing the company's lineup of environmentally friendly products.

These efforts include the development of lead-free products to meet the requirements of the RoHS Directive, green procurement to control the chemical substances contained in products, and product environmental assessment to evaluate reductions in environmental load at the product development stage.

Renesas plans to be 100% lead free in all products by December 2005 apart from some RoHS exempted end user applications such as automotive products.

In addition, the company is putting into place an environmental quality control system that will include inspections of incoming and outgoing shipments for chemical substances content.

Renesas is also practicing "eco-management" in the form of environmental accounting and audits.

These efforts are being promoted and thoroughly implemented throughout all aspects of the company's operations.

"Environmental report 2005" summarises the achievements of these efforts in fiscal 2004 and targets for fiscal 2005.

The principal accomplishments in fiscal 2004 are the following.

Renesas has adopted a roadmap that aims to reduce emissions of PFC gas, which have a higher global warming potential (GWP) rating than carbon dioxide, to 90% of the 1995 level or less by 2007.

This will be accomplished by introducing machinery for breaking down and eliminating PFCs and switching to alternate gases with lower GWP ratings.

If this objective is achieved, Renesas will have succeeded in meeting the reduction target established by the World Semiconductor Council three years ahead of the target date of 2010.

In fiscal 2004 all of the 26-targeted sites of Renesas including the group companies engaged in manufacturing, design, and development achieved zero emissions for the entire year.

This goal was met one year before the initial target date thanks to a combination of efforts, including the manufacture of cement from sludge generated in the wastewater treatment facility, the manufacture of auxiliary fuel from waste oil and the recovery of metal from metal plating wastewater.

A product environmental assessment program was introduced in fiscal 2003, and in fiscal 2004, 190 products underwent such assessments.

Products are evaluated for 26 items, including weight reduction, safety, and energy saving.

Assessment is performed through comparison with reference products.

Of there 190 products, 50% showed an improvement in energy saving and 60% showed an improvement in resource saving.

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