Astellas promotes activities to prevent global environmental pollution. For major environmental management indicators for air and water quality, we have set and managed stricter voluntary control values than the values stipulated by laws and regulations and agreed values. In addition, we are promoting voluntary activities to reduce atmospheric emissions of chemical substances.
Air Pollution
Reduction of VOC Emissions
Astellas sets voluntary numerical targets for reducing the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are emitted accompanying the use of solvents in production and research activities, and makes efforts to reduce emissions. Moreover, as a measure to prevent environmental pollution by chemical substances as well as occupational illnesses, we are taking steps to minimize the impact of our business operations on our employees, local communities, and the environment, such as development of new manufacturing processes that do not use highly hazardous chemical substances.
Reduction of NOx Emissions
To reduce the emission of NOx into the atmosphere, Astellas has installed boilers that use gaseous fuels (city gas, LNG, and LPG). The NOx emissions from all business facilities in Japan are as shown in the table below. The NOx emissions from non-Japanese production facilities in fiscal 2022 amounted to 6 tons.
Astellas does not use any equipment that runs on fuel oil, which is a major source of SOx (sulfur oxide) emission.
Changes in Emissions Volume
| Substance | Fiscal 2018 | Fiscal 2019 | Fiscal 2020 | Fiscal 2021 | Fiscal 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VOC | 44 | 28 | 22 | 21 | 23 |
| NOx | 21 | 16 | 21 | 17 | 18 |
VOC: all production facilities and R&D sites in Japan
NOx: all business facilities in Japan
*NOx emissions from production facilities outside of Japan are not covered by the independent assurance because exhaust gas measurement methods differ from country to country.
Water Pollution
Astellas measures the extent of its impact on aquatic environments using the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) load as an index in Japan and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) load as an index in other countries, and makes the data available to the public. In Japan, the BOD load in fiscal 2022 was 9 tons, the same as the previous fiscal year. Outside Japan, the COD in fiscal 2022 was 31 tons, an increase of 7% from the previous year.
Since the discharge into water of chemical substances used in manufacturing processes can have a negative impact on ecosystems, we are examining ways of reducing such discharges as much as possible at all stages from R&D onward. With respect to future drug candidate substances discovered and developed by Astellas, we are examining the impact pharmaceuticals would have on ecosystems through the evaluation of their biodegradability in the natural environment.
Changes in BOD Load
| Substance | Fiscal 2018 | Fiscal 2019 | Fiscal 2020 | Fiscal 2021 | Fiscal 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOD | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Drainage into rivers | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 |
| Drainage into sewerage system | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Target: all production facilities and R&D sites in Japan
Changes in Drainage Volume
| Destination | Fiscal 2018 | Fiscal 2019 | Fiscal 2020 | Fiscal 2021 | Fiscal 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drainage volume | 8,058 | 7,061 | 7,038 | 6,810 | 6,298 |
| Drainage into rivers | 7,820 | 6,836 | 6,835 | 6,610 | 6,108 |
| Drainage into sewerage system | 238 | 225 | 203 | 200 | 190 |
Target: all business facilities in Japan