Safety and Security
Sharp’s Policy on Management of Chemical Substances
Sharp’s products are built from a plurality of parts and materials and contain wide-ranging chemical substances. Our production processes at factories also use chemical substances.
Chemical substances are useful for enhancing the performance and quality of products, whereas some of them may have negative effects on the natural environment and human health.
Today, regulations to manage chemical substances are implemented in many countries. Some include prohibited or restricted use of specified chemical substances and labeling requirements, and others require the management of information on product content data, reporting of the amounts discharged into the atmosphere and water areas, management of the working environment, and occupational health management.
In accordance with our Basic Environmental Policy of “Creating an Environmentally Conscious Company with Sincerity and Creativity,” the Sharp Code of Conduct stipulates the management of chemical substances as follows, on the precondition of compliance with applicable environmental laws, regulations, and regional agreements.
- We will work to compile information related to hazardous substances that might damage the environment or human health, and will not, as a matter of principle, make use of these hazardous substances in our products and services.
- We will ensure proper use and control, and also reduce our consumption of chemical substances in our business activities, including research, development, and manufacturing, at levels meeting or exceeding those stipulated by laws and regulations.
To “properly manage chemicals in order to protect people’s health, the natural environment, and ecosystems” is another goal of Sharp. It is a long-term objective set in the SHARP Eco Vision 2050 long-term environmental vision in the safety and security field of action.
An example of our specific efforts to manage chemical substances in products is Delivered Goods Evaluation, in which we check chemical substances contained in components and materials delivered for our production in cooperation with our suppliers. It allows us to monitor and manage information on chemical substances contained in our products. At the factory-level, the process assessment system is in place. It is a preliminary assessment of new chemical substances to be used or equipment retrofitted or modified for handling chemical substances and is performed to check their safety and environmental impact.
Chemical Substance Management System
Managing Chemical Substances Contained in Products
In order to reduce environmental impacts of its products and to comply with chemical substance regulations in relevant countries, Sharp manages chemical substances contained in its products in accordance with its own management categories that take into account applicable laws and regulations in relevant countries, voluntary standards set by industry groups, and even potential future regulations.
We determine chemical substances that we should manage according to these categories, notify suppliers, and conduct a survey of chemical substances contained in products to obtain chemical substance content data.
Determining Declarable Substances
Sharp’s Standard Manual for Management of Chemical Substances Contained in Parts and Materials is made available to the public to clarify the chemical substances it manages according to its own management categories.
This manual divides the target chemical substances into four categories: banned substances, substances banned depending on the application, candidate substances to be banned, and managed substances. For each category, applications, criteria values, and the date of total abolition are defined. These, as well as our in-house standards, are reviewed annually in anticipation of future legal and regulatory trends.
Chemical Substance Management Categories
| Category | Description | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Banned substances | Substances that cannot be used for any purpose |
|
| Substances banned depending on the application | Substances regarded as banned by Sharp depending on the application (excluded applications) | |
| Candidate substances to be banned | Substances that are candidates for being banned; substances to be substituted if contained in products |
|
| Managed substances | Substances for which it is necessary to ascertain whether the specified substance is present, the amount contained, and so on |
|
Delivered Goods Evaluation
We conduct Delivered Goods Evaluation in cooperation with suppliers. Its purpose is to assess the chemical substances contained in parts and materials (materials, general components, finished and semi-finished products, indirect materials, others) sourced from suppliers according to the chemical substance management categories. Information obtained through the Delivered Goods Evaluation is used for understanding chemical substances contained in products and compiling information to be shared with our supply chain.
Report on Chemical Substances Contained in the Product and Analysis Data
Sharp’s suppliers are required to submit a Report on Chemical Substances Contained in the Product before they deliver a new component or material for the first time. This is used to confirm their conformity with the regulations prohibiting the use of specific chemical substances in products in relevant countries. With this report, we check the presence of banned substances and decide whether to purchase the component or material.
Suppliers must also submit analysis data on the 10 substances regulated under the EU RoHS Directive* (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBB, PBDE, DEHP, BBP, DBP, and DIBP) for confirmation of compliance with the regulatory requirements.
- An EU directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
Chemical Substance Content Survey
The EU REACH regulations*1 and other legal requirements in countries around the world oblige companies to communicate and disclose information on chemical substances contained in their products throughout their supply chain.
To meet these requirements, it is necessary to have a system through which all supply chain partners—whether supplying raw materials, materials, parts, or finished products—cooperate to gather, aggregate, and share information on chemical substances. Sharp’s suppliers are asked to enter information on how much chemical substances are contained in their parts and materials, and where, in the Chemical Substance Content Survey System. This helps us gather information on chemical substances contained in our products, which is then used to manage and aggregate data on our chemical substance management system. For information collection, Sharp also utilizes chemSHERPA*2, an information sharing scheme compliant with the IEC 62474*3 international standard.
Sharp has also been registered with the SCIP*4 database since January 2021. SCIP is one of the EU’s measures aimed at building a circular economy.
Delivered Goods Evaluation (Evaluative Process for Newly Delivered Parts and Materials)
- An EU regulation mandating the registration, evaluation, authorization, and restriction of chemical substances manufactured or imported into the EU.
- An information sharing scheme developed under the leadership of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for the purpose of efficiently communicating information on chemical substances in products over the entire supply chain.
- An international standard on the procedures and details of information sharing in the supply chain for products and components in the electrical and electronics industry containing chemical substances.
- SCIP: Substances of Concern in articles as such or in complex objects (Products). A database for information on substances of very high concern (SVHCs) managed by the European Chemicals Agency.
Effective Management of Chemical Substances Used at Factories and Their Risk Management
Sharp strives to minimize the risk of environmental pollution and accidents associated with chemical substances and to properly meet chemical substance regulations. To this end, Sharp controls chemical substances used at, and released from, its production bases by implementing the process assessment system and the monitoring and risk management of chemical substances.
To minimize the environmental impact and ensure occupational safety, workers handling chemical substances go through regular education and training. They also receive regular health checks.
Process Assessment System
The process assessment system is Sharp’s in-house system for preliminarily assessing the hazards, safety measures, and other factors of chemical substances. This assessment applies when a new chemical substance is to be introduced or when the procedure for handling chemical substances needs to be changed, for example. The system ensures that chemical substances are properly managed at all stages from procurement to disposal and that safety measures are implemented for the equipment handling them. It is designed to review the appropriate disposal of waste chemical substances, the proper treatment of exhaust gas and wastewater, and safety procedures for workers handling chemical substances, and to evaluate and determine the conditions for the safe use of chemical substances.
Chemical substances are grouped into four categories according to their gravity of impact on safety/health, hazard/explosion, and environmental conservation: legally banned substances, sensitive substances, managed substances, and registered substances. An appropriate management level is assigned to each category.
Chemical Substance Management Categories under the Process Assessment System
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Legally banned substances | Chemical substances that are banned for production, etc. under laws and regulations. Substitutes for them need to be searched for. |
| Sensitive substances | Chemical substances that are not legally banned but are banned by Sharp for use due to their high levels of toxicity (acute toxicity/carcinogenicity) or hazards (explosiveness/flammability). Substitutes for them need to be searched for. |
| Managed substances | Chemical substances that have toxicity (corrosiveness/irritancy), hazards (combustibility/spontaneous combustibility) , or other concerns but may be used under adequate control. |
| Registered substances | Chemical substances that have limited toxicity or hazards and thus may be used under specified control. |
Monitoring and Risk Management of Chemical Substances
Sharp has established voluntary standards that are stricter than either the regulatory requirements or the levels agreed upon with local communities for chemical substances used at its production bases. These standards ensure the comprehensive monitoring and management of the target chemical substances released and transferred, as well as the concentrations and emissions of air and water pollutants.
Release and Transfer of PRTR-Listed Substances
Sharp monitors and reports the release and transfer of chemical substances covered by the Japanese PRTR*1 Act. In fiscal 2023, in response to a revision in the PRTR Act, Sharp reviewed the target substances. Twenty-three of the PRTR chemicals were handled in Japan and five overseas*2 in quantities of 500 kg or more by one or more plants during fiscal 2023.
- PRTR: Pollutant Release and Transfer Register. A system that mandates the collection and dissemination of information, such as the amount of harmful chemicals discharged and transferred.
- Sharp defines target substances based on laws in Japan.
PRTR Data for Japan (Fiscal 2023)
（kg）
| PRTR No. |
Chemical | Amount Handled | Amount Discharged | Amount Transferred | Amount Consumed | Amount Removed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Into Atmosphere | Into Public Water Areas | Into Sewerage | Into Waste, etc. | Contained in Products | Recycled | ||||
| 20 | 2-Aminoethanol | 2,002,848 | 909 | 0 | 0 | 28,776 | 0 | 1,725,578 | 247,585 |
| 44 | Indium and its compounds | 37,912 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,922 | 5,264 | 27,726 | 0 |
| 80 | Xylene | 3,552 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,534 |
| 83 | Cumene | 537 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 510 | 27 |
| 135 | 2-methoxyethyl acetate | 104,000 | 664 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78,126 | 25,210 |
| 232 | N, N-dimethylformamide | 26,082 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26,082 |
| 272 | Copper salts (water-soluble, except complex salts) | 81,796 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 71,028 | 8,815 | 1,160 | 793 |
| 343 | Pyrocatechol (also called catechol) | 1,793 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,793 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 374 | Hydrogen fluoride and its water-soluble salts | 806,820 | 7,182 | 0 | 1,075 | 383,863 | 0 | 35,311 | 379,389 |
| 401 | 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic 1,2-anhydride | 773 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 711 | 0 | 0 |
| 405 | Boron compounds | 5,886 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 5,499 | 62 | 293 | 0 |
| 412 | Manganese and its compounds | 23,141 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 550 | 22,591 | 0 | 0 |
| 438 | Methylnaphthalene | 10,271 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10,224 | 0 | 0 |
| 453 | Molybdenum and its compounds | 15,828 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,273 | 475 | 11,080 | 0 |
| 594 | Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether | 39,921 | 1,833 | 0 | 0 | 16,924 | 0 | 40 | 21,124 |
| 627 | Diethylene glycol monobutyl ether | 1,196,185 | 2,327 | 0 | 0 | 10,457 | 0 | 646,022 | 537,379 |
| 665 | Cerium and its compounds | 830 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 830 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 674 | Tetrahydrofuran | 5,561 | 700 | 0 | 0 | 1,470 | 0 | 0 | 3,391 |
| 677 | Tetramethylammonium hydroxide | 3,968,845 | 1,585 | 0 | 0 | 289,768 | 0 | 2,420,539 | 1,256,953 |
| 691 | Trimethylbenzene | 19,987 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 763 | 0 | 14,488 | 4,712 |
| 746 | N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone | 142,988 | 3,668 | 0 | 0 | 27,868 | 0 | 73,789 | 37,663 |
| 751 | 2-(2-Methoxyethoxy)ethanol | 5,347,707 | 1,596 | 0 | 0 | 25,826 | 0 | 2,819,825 | 2,500,460 |
| 752 | 1-Methoxy-2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethane | 10,175 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 814 | 9,361 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 13,853,438 | 20,585 | 0 | 1,075 | 875,486 | 57,503 | 7,854,487 | 5,044,302 | |
Overseas PRTR Data (Fiscal 2023)
（kg）
| PRTR No. |
Chemical | Amount Handled | Amount Discharged | Amount Transferred | Amount Consumed | Amount Removed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Into Atmosphere | Into Public Water Areas | Into Sewerage | Into Waste, etc. | Contained in Products | Recycled | ||||
| 82 | Silver and its water-soluble compounds | 1,057 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 155 | 902 | 0 | 0 |
| 300 | Toluene | 3,467 | 3,467 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 591 | Ethylcyclohexane | 1,437 | 1,222 | 0 | 0 | 215 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 392 | N-hexane | 36,874 | 36,874 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 448 | Methylenebis(4,1-phenylene) diisocyanate | 1,628,870 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37,990 | 1,590,880 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 1,671,705 | 41,563 | 0 | 0 | 38,360 | 1,591,782 | 0 | 0 | |
Managing Environmental Load into Air and Water Areas
| Fiscal 2023 Objectives | Fiscal 2023 Achievements | Self-Evaluation | Priority Objectives for Fiscal 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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★★ |
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- Self-evaluation: ★★★ Achieved more than targeted / ★★ Achieved as targeted / ★ Achieved to some extent
Reducing VOCs
Sharp strives to reduce the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) it emits. It has set a target of keeping VOCs released into the atmosphere to no higher than fiscal 2010 levels (based on a voluntary action plan by the Japanese electrical and electronics industry). Fiscal 2023 VOC emissions were 63 tons, lower than the amount emitted in fiscal 2010 (204 tons), thus achieving the target.
Sharp is reducing VOCs with the installation of highly efficient abatement facilities in LCD production sites, a major source of VOC emissions.
VOC Emissions into the Atmosphere
Managing Environmental Load into Air and Water Areas
Sharp properly manages pollutants that affect air and water quality by establishing voluntary standards that are stricter than those set forth in laws and regulations and stricter than those agreed upon with local communities. It also actively conducts risk communication with local communities.
Atmospheric Emissions in Japan
NOx Emissions
SOx Emissions
Emissions into Water Areas in Japan
COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand)
Nitrogen Pollutant Load
Phosphorous Pollutant Load
Risk Management of Soil and Groundwater Pollution
Sharp has established and is appropriately applying in-house standards to minimize the risk of environmental pollution and accidents caused by chemical substances. It also strives to prevent such incidents from occurring by taking multi-layered leakage prevention measures at facilities that handle chemical substances. For plants where chlorine solvent contamination was found in the past, Sharp regularly notifies local government authorities and others of the cleanup progress.
Analyzing Plant Wastewater Samples
Sharp’s Fukuyama Plant (Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture) collects and analyzes plant wastewater in collaboration with local residents and Fukuyama city officials as part of its risk communication activities. The collected wastewater undergoes individual analyses by the three parties, who share the results and exchange opinions on them. This also provides Sharp the opportunity to foster good relations with all relevant parties.
