Ricoh 2012 Annual Report Download - page 72

Ricoh Group Sustainability Report 201271
Sustainable Environmental Management
Systematic global efforts to comply with the
REACH Regulation
Under the REACH Regulation1, a European regulatory framework on
chemical substances, producers and importers of substances, preparations
and articles produced in, or imported into, the EU are required to register
and give notice of all chemical substances included in their products
whose quantity is above certain threshold levels. Producers and importers
are also required to fulfill their duties to communicate information to
customers and general consumers on designated substances contained
in products2. It is anticipated that the number of chemical substances
subject to this regulation will eventually exceed 1,500.
The Ricoh Group established the REACH Compliance Working Group
with 180 attendees from the production division (including the general
sales division) in February 2008 to solidify Ricoh’s REACH compliance
system. The core mission of the working group is to develop a system
that will allow us to collect and manage chemical substance information
accurately and efficiently from partners both upstream and downstream
in the supply chain, and to provide the information to customers upon
their request.
Operation of the Ricoh Group’s chemical
substance management system since 2006
Ricoh set original standards for environmentally sensitive substances that
could be used in its products in 1993 as an indication of its determination
to reduce these substances. Since then, all the divisions engaged in
production have worked together to improve the chemical substance
control system. By the end of March 2006, a chemical substance
management system (CMS) for suppliers was created on a global basis.
At the same time, the CMS within the Ricoh Group was strengthened,
completing the management system for chemical substances (MSC)
contained in products within and outside of Japan in July 2006.
As part of its risk management efforts, Ricoh has expanded the list
of chemical substances controlled by the Group since 2008. We also then
started to operate a quantity control system that keeps track of which
chemical substances controlled by Ricoh are contained in which part of
our equipment and in what quantities. With this quantity control system
in place, we are now well-positioned to take prompt action in the event
of permission to use currently approved chemical substances being
withdrawn due to regulatory change.
We are exposed to a wide variety of chemical substances on an daily basis. The various impacts of these substances on human health and the
environment have not all been identified yet. To minimize chemical substance-related risks, we at the Ricoh Group identify and manage chemical
substances contained in our products following the SAICM* approach, and thereby offer products with minimal adverse impact on the environment
and human health.
* Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM): a policy framework to promote the sound management of chemicals adopted in February 2006 by the International Conference on Chemicals
Management (ICCM) and endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Pollution Prevention
Management of environmentally sensitive substances contained in our products
We operate a system to reduce and strictly manage environmentally sensitive substances contained in our products in all manufacturing processes,
including those conducted by suppliers. We also work to minimize emissions of ozone, dust, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the use of our
products and ensure the safety of supplies to be used with the products.
■ Substance groups whose use for equipment is controlled by
the Ricoh Group
■ Framework for chemical substance control (MSC and CMS)
Substance groups
regulated by the
European RoHS
Directive
(6 substance groups)
Substance groups whose use for equipment is
prohibited by the Ricoh Group
(18 substance groups)
● Lead and its
compounds
● Hexavalent
chromium and its
compounds
● Cadmium and its
compounds
● Mercury and its
compounds
● PBB
● PBDE
● Asbestos
● PCB
● PCN
● PCT
●
Short-chain
chlorinated paraffin
● Ozone-depleting
substances
● PFOS
● Some azo dyes and
pigments that compose
specific amines
● Tri-substituted
organostannic
compounds (including
TBTO, TBTs, TPTs)
● Dibutyltin (DBT)
compounds
● Dioctyltin (DOT)
compounds
● DMF
Determination of substances prohibited,
restricted, and controlled by the Ricoh Group
and dissemination of that information
Environmental
division
Sales
division
Manufacturing
division
Maintenance
and service
division
Procurement
division
Transportation
division
Development/
design division
Identification management to prevent
erroneous shipment of products that
are found to be inappropriate
Management of substances
that are prohibited/controlled
for use in service supplies
Provision of accurate information on
substances contained in products to
customers
Prevention of
mix-up/contamination in the
production process
Entry of information about prohibited/
controlled substances in designs
Tracing and quantity control of chemical
substances contained in products
Obtaining/managing
information on
prohibited/controlled
substances in purchased
products
Ricoh Group’s
Management System
for Chemical Substances
(MSC) Contained in
Products
The Ricoh Group
Chemical
Substance
Management
System
(CMS)
Suppliers
Manufacturing
system that
protects
parts/materials
from
contamination