The rapid development of the heavy and chemical industries after World War II left a negative legacy of environmental problems. Keenly aware of their part in this legacy, companies have achieved solutions through various measures and technological innovations, but many underlying problems still remain. As a chemical industry company, the main businesses of the Nihon Nohyaku Group have a close relationship with the natural environment. Therefore, environmental preservation is an important issue for our future. We engage in proper environmental compliance management in relation to laws, regulations, and agrochemical registration systems in R&D and throughout the product life cycle.

Initiatives for Raw Materials

Some of our products use packaging with plant-based biomass ink*. In general, the raw materials for ink are mainly derived from petroleum. Therefore, by replacing petroleum-based ink with biomass ink, we can reduce the amount of petroleum resources used. In addition, we have formulated the “Nihon Nohyaku Group Basic Procurement Policy” and the “Nihon Nohyaku Group Green Procurement Standards,” and we take the environment into consideration when we conduct material procurement.
*Biomass ink is ink manufactured using raw materials that are partially derived from plant-based resources.

• View the “Nihon Nohyaku Group Basic Procurement Policy” here:
• View the “Nihon Nohyaku Group Green Procurement Standards” here:

Water Conservation

The Group works to reduce water usage through efforts in improving production efficiency, saving water, and recycling. In Japan, we have set voluntary control values for wastewater that are stricter than the legal discharge standards, and we manage the wastewater to ensure that it does not exceed the standard values. We also encourage our customers to use agrochemicals appropriately, and not to dispose of unused agrochemicals or agrochemical residues in containers into rivers, etc.

The Nihon Nohyaku Research Center and Nichino Service Kawachinagano Center regularly clean the canals near their plants in collaboration with neighboring irrigation associations. Nichino India (India) works on activities to set up water supply points to conserve water resources. Currently, it has installed water supply points at around 30 locations in India. Going forward, we will continue to work on water conservation both within and outside of our plants and offices.

Consideration for Biodiversity

Agrochemicals are agricultural materials used to protect crops from pests and weeds, to ensure stable food production.Agrochemicals are required to be effective against pests and weeds, and to be safe for users and consumers of agricultural products, as well as to be considerate of the natural environment around the farmland. The Group complies with the laws and regulations of each country, and works to develop agrochemicals that are closely aligned with the perspectives of “the environment, safety and health,” by utilizing the latest scientific knowledge.

Nichino Ryokka utilizes its products and weed management technology to participate in the “Satochi-Satoyama (Socio-ecological Production Landscape) Revitalization Project by Industry, Academia, and Government” in Nasukarasuyama City, Tochigi Prefecture, and contributes to biodiversity by conserving the landscape. Nihon Nohyaku also participates in the Japan Crop Protection Association’s “Bee Friendship Plan.” It grows plants preferred by pollinating insects such as bees on the company premises to provide a proper habitat for pollinating insects. Group companies and offices will continue to consider and promote initiatives that contribute to biodiversity.

Initiatives to Reduce Waste

The Group actively works on the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle), and Nichino Service promotes the goal of zero emissions*. For some products, we offer multiple specifications tailored to each customer’s needs. By allowing each customer to purchase an optimal amount based on their needs, we work to reduce waste agrochemicals and the amount of packaging used. Furthermore, we focus on reducing waste through green purchasing (purchasing products and materials from manufacturers that strive to reduce their environmental impact, including waste reduction), and we have joined the Green Purchasing Network. In FY2022, we achieved a green purchasing rate of 100% for the entire domestic Group, thereby achieving our goal (over 95%). The entire Group will continue to work together as one to advance our waste reduction efforts.
*: The final landfill amount of waste shall be 1% or less of the volume.

Promoting Product Stewardship through the Product Life Cycle

The Nihon Nohyaku Group focuses on safety management throughout the product life cycle, from research to manufacturing, use and disposal. We also conduct the appropriate provision of information. Particularly during the research and development stage, we conduct voluntary audits based on our own internal regulations, and continuously engage in initiatives to ensure product safety, also known as “Product Stewardship.”

In addition, the Group has set up a phone number and a contact form on our website, as points of contact for inquiries and consultation regarding our various products and agrochemicals in general.

We provide the Japan Poison Information Center with the Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) of our products to assist in inquiries from medical institutions, in the unlikely event of a poisoning accident related to our products.

Appropriate Management of Chemical Substances

The Group operates under the PRTR Law (Act on the Assessment of Releases of Specified Chemical Substances in the Environment and the Promotion of Management Improvement), the Chemical Substances Evaluation Act (Act on the Regulation of Manufacture and Evaluation of Chemical Substances), the Poisonous Materials Act (Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Act) and other regulations, and we conduct the appropriate management of substances subject to these laws. In particular, we have established a “Poisonous Material Management Panel” to monitor each plant and office, and ensure that they implement the management of such materials thoroughly. Moreover, since poly (oxyethylene) nonylphenyl ether (NPE) is categorized as an endocrine disrupting substance that degrades into the environment, we continue to consider and implement the elimination of NPE from our products (consideration of non-NPE prescriptions).

In order to properly manage chemical substances, we provide, both internally and externally, the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each item that complies with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and the regulations of each country.
Related page: Management of Material and Product Safety Information

Environmental Compliance

The Group conducts compliance training aimed at ensuring thorough compliance with various laws and regulations, including those related to the environment, and with various internal regulations. Accordingly, we work to educate and raise awareness among our employees and report on the activities and status of compliance at each office to the Compliance Committee.

Initiatives for Environmental Assessment

The Nihon Nohyaku Group works on environmental assessment through Responsible Care activities and ISO14001 (Environment Management System). We thoroughly comply with environmental laws, ordinances, and local agreements, etc., and promote business activities while taking into account our effect on the surrounding areas, considering factors such as the generation of noise, odor, or vibration.

Scope 3 Emissions

Regarding our domestic CO2 emissions, the Group has always disclosed Scope 1 (direct emissions of GHG by the reporting company) and Scope 2 (indirect emissions from the use of electricity, heat, or steam supplied by others) emissions. From FY2020, we also started disclosing our global CO2 emissions, including those in India and Brazil where we have manufacturing sites.

Furthermore, we have calculated and disclosed Scope 3 (other indirect emissions besides Scope 1 and Scope 2, emissions from the corporate value chain) emissions from FY2021 in Japan* and from FY2022 overseas**.
*: Nihon Nohyaku and domestic Group companies that have manufacturing sites
**: Overseas Group companies that have manufacturing sites

TOPICS

Promoting Environmental Conservation Initiatives at Work and at Home
To ensure that employees are fully aware of environmental laws and regulations and to promote environmental conservation initiatives at work and at home, the Environment Safety & Quality Assurance Department issues the “Environment Safety News” newsletter three times a year to share information with all employees. The newsletter features recent information related to environmental safety.

Global Warming Countermeasures
Every year, in conjunction with “Environment Day” on June 5, we hold an in-house event to distribute quizzes and surveys to raise awareness of environmental conservation in the Company. Furthermore, we explain the Japanese government’s “COOL CHOICE” and “Zero Carbon Action 30” initiatives, and promote them so that each employee will have an opportunity to think about global warming countermeasures through familiar actions and measures that they can take at home.

Plastic Reduction
In line with the implementation of the “Act on Promotion of Resource Circulation for Plastics” in FY2022, we have conducted awareness-raising activities through Environment Safety News and other means, concerning actions that individuals can do to reduce their plastic usage. Moreover, as part of our initiatives for the workplace based on the “Act on Promotion of Procurement of Eco-Friendly Goods and Services by the State and Other Entities,” we promote the purchase of items that have a lower environmental impact, such as recycled plastic products.

Biodiversity
Since a new framework was adopted at the “15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15)” in FY2022, we have conducted awareness-raising activities regarding its goals, etc. through Environment Safety News and such.