Initiatives for Resource Recycling

Astellas recognizes that since the use of sustainable resources is essential for continuing its business activities, it must play an active role in the creation of a recycling-oriented society. We have established an Environmental Action Plan and are moving forward with steps to effectively use water resources and recycle waste materials (reuse, recycling, and use of all thermal energy) as initiatives contributing to a recycling-oriented society.

Effective Use of Water Resources

Environmental Action Plan (Measures for the Conservation of Resources)

Improve water resource productivity by around 20% of the fiscal 2016 result by the end of fiscal 2025.
  Applicable areas: Research and production sites in Japan and overseas 
  Indicator: Revenue (¥ billion) /Volume of water resource withdrawn (1,000 m3)


Effective Use of Water Resource

The effective use of water resources serves as a useful indicator for gauging society’s impact on biodiversity. Astellas assesses the relationship between water resources and economic activity using a water resource productivity index, and has been striving to improve this index. Water resource productivity for fiscal 2021 improved 17% compared with the base year of fiscal 2016.

Changes in Volume of Water Resources Withdrawn and Revenue independent limited assurance

  Fiscal 2016 Fiscal 2019 Fiscal 2020 Fiscal 2021
Volume of water resource withdrawn (1,000 m3) 8,774 7,493 7,564 7,394
Japan Surface water 7,705 6,969 6,932 6,737
Groundwater 758 330 436 458
Others - - - -
US Surface water 146 8 24 53
Groundwater - - - -
Others - - - -
Established Markets Surface water 145 166 151 128
Groundwater - - - -
Others - - - -
Greater China Surface water 21 19 21 19
Groundwater - - - -
Others - - - -
International Markets Surface water - - - -
Groundwater - - - -
Others - - - -
Revenue (¥ billion) 1,312 1,301 1,250 1,296
Water resource productivity
(¥ billion/1,000 m3)
0.15 0.17 0.17 0.18
Improvement from Base-year - 16% 11% 17%

Target: production facilities and R&D sites
* The indicators subject to independent assurance are the volume of water resource withdrawn and water resource productivity.

Recycling of Water

Astellas’ operations use only water drawn from surface water and groundwater. Water used in work operations is treated in accordance with wastewater discharging standards and returned to an aquatic environment. The amount of water recycled is almost equivalent to the entire amount of water intake.

Risk Assessments

Water is indispensable for Astellas’ research and production activities. Each business site obtains necessary government approval to use water, and wastewater is discharged after being treated to satisfy wastewater discharging standards. In fiscal 2021, there were no cases of non-compliance with regulations at each business site.
Moreover, Astellas uses Aqueduct provided by World Resources Institute to analyze water risks specific to the operating regions where its plants and other facilities are located.
The Astellas Group on a global basis does not currently withdraw water from water bodies in areas concerned with water resource depletion. As water risks may emerge in the future as a result of climate change, we are taking steps to minimize our dependence on such resources, and also regard this as an effective means of ensuring business continuity.

Waste Management

Environmental Action Plan (Waste Management)

Improve waste generated per unit of revenue by around 10% of fiscal 2016 result by the end of fiscal 2025.
  Applicable areas: Research and production sites in Japan and overseas
  Indicator: Volume of waste generated (tons)/Revenue (¥ billion)


Waste Management 

Astellas is promoting efforts to reduce the waste landfill volume to as close to zero as possible through the proactive recycling and reuse of waste materials. Moreover, Astellas also evaluates the relationship between the waste generation volume and economic activities with the index known as the Waste generated per unit, and the Company is making efforts to improve it.
In fiscal 2021, the waste generated per unit worsened 1% over the base year (fiscal 2016).

Changes in Waste Generation Volume and Revenue independent limited assurance 

  Fiscal 2016 Fiscal 2019 Fiscal 2020 Fiscal 2021
Waste generation volume (Tons) 13,899 13,922 14,352 13,882
Japan 11,836 11,065 10,714 10,158
US 54 71 361 576
Established Markets 1,956 2,637 3,228 3,043
Greater China 54 149 50 105
International Markets - - - -
Revenue(¥ billion) 1,312 1,301 1,250 1,296
Waste generated per unit (Tons/¥ billion) 10.6 10.7 11.5 10.7
Improvement from Base-year - -1% -8% -1%

Target: production facilities and R&D sites
*The indicators subject to independent assurance are the waste generation volume and waste generated per unit.

Waste Management in the Value Chain

In waste management, it is also important to prevent environmental pollution being caused by hazardous waste generated by research centers and manufacturing plants and the illegal disposal of that waste. As a means of prevention, we first examine appropriate methods of waste disposal, and then conduct regular on-site assessment that waste treatment contractors are using appropriate waste treatment methods.

State of PCB-contaminated Waste Storage

We have been systematically conducting detoxification of any PCB-contaminated equipment that is stored by Astellas. Load-figure registrations for all items stored at each of our business facilities have been completed, and the waste storage situation at the end of March 2022 was as follows.

State of PCB-contaminated Waste Storage independent limited assurance  

Load-figure Weight (kg)
Drum 9,821