Yokohama Goes Zero Emissions in Thailand

According to Yokohama Rubber, its Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) passenger car and truck and bus tyre facility has achieved “zero emissions”; in other words, less than one per cent of its total waste volume is now subject to direct landfill disposal. In order to confirm this result the Japanese company conducted on-site investigations of all contractors commissioned to dispose of waste from the plant.

Since the 2006 financial year, Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) has taken steps to achieve this zero emissions target, establishing targets for landfill disposal and making those targets stricter every year. Specifically, while focusing on waste reduction activities, including minimising scrap in the production process and recycling pallets and containers, the plant has endeavoured to separate materials more precisely to increase recycling rates. Hereafter, the plant will further strengthen its efforts with the aim of achieving the even higher target of “complete zero emissions” – no waste sent to direct landfill disposal.

Waste reduction at Yokohama’s Japanese and international sites is set out as a priority in the company’s “Grand Design 100” medium-range management plan. Since March 2006 all eight of Yokohama’s Japanese production facilities have maintained a “complete zero emissions” status, and since January 2009 five locations – the Hiratsuka factory, and Mie, Ibaraki, Hiratsuka-East and Nagano plants – have generated no waste in the course of business activities whatsoever; 100 per cent of all industrial waste at these sites is now recycled. Yokohama Rubber’s global target is to successfully achieve zero emissions at all production sites by the 2011 financial year.