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Olympus is working to reduce environmental risks by carefully monitoring the emissions and movements of chemical substances used in production processes.

The Olympus Group controls environmentally sensitive chemical substances used in production processes under internal rules based on chemical regulations in force throughout the world. Under these regulations, the substances used by Olympus are managed in four categories: completely discontinued substances, substances scheduled to be completely discontinued, limited use substances, and substances requiring appropriate management. Olympus aims to minimize environmental risks by reducing emissions of chemical substances into the environment, and by maintaining appropriate management systems.

Results of activities in fiscal 2010
Emissions and movements of PRTR substances: 17.9 tons
(10% year on year increased)^*

* Neither results for fiscal 2010 nor the target include substances that were added or excluded as a result of amendments to the PRTR system.

Since fiscal 2000, the Olympus Group has conducted surveys under the PRTR system^* to ascertain the amounts of substances requiring appropriate management that have been handled, emitted or moved. Any PRTR substance of which more than 10 kg is handled per year at any business site is subject to control requirements and measures to reduce emissions and movements. In fiscal 2010, the amount of PRTR substances emitted or transported increased by 10% year on year to 17.9 tons. The higher figure reflects increased production. If substances that first became subject to monitoring in fiscal 2010 are included, the total amount handled was 47.0 tons, and total emissions and movements amounted to 21.6 tons.

* The Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) system covers chemical substances with the potential to cause harm to human health or ecosystems. Under the system, businesses monitor the amounts of these substances emitted from their business sites into the environment (atmosphere, water, soil) or moved from their business sites in waste or other forms. The results are reported to government agencies, which aggregate and publish the data. In Japan, the PRTR regulations are based on the Act on Confirmation, etc. of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof, which came into force in 2001. Following amendments to the law in 2008, the number of Type 1 designated substances subject to monitoring under the PRTR system has stood at 462 since fiscal 2010.

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