Environment
TBM has established the TBM Environmental Policy to encourage all members working on a variety of businesses at multiple locations to come together and promote environmental awareness.
Environmental Management
TBM has established an environmental policy to encourage all members working on a variety of businesses at multiple locations to come together and promote environmental awareness.
TBM Environmental Policy
In order to pass on a sustainable society and rich natural environment to future generations, TBM will continue to strive to achieve net zero environmental impact in its value chain and to solve environmental and social issues through its business. This policy was established following a resolution by the Board of Directors on January 14, 2022.
For more information about TBM's environmental policy, click here
In accordance with this environmental policy, we have established an environmental management system and are promoting systematic efforts to improve our environmental performance based on the PDCA cycle, with the aim of further increasing the positive impact we have on the environment through our business.
This environmental management system has been verified by a certification body that we meet the requirements of the international standard ISO 14001 set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) at four locations, including our own production sites (Tokyo Head Office, Technology Center, Tohoku LIMEX Factory, and Yokosuka Circular Factory).
- Certification Details
- ・Certified organization：TBM Co., Ltd.
- ・Applied standard: Environmental Management System ISO 14001:2015
- ・Certification registered date: April 19th, 2024
- ・Scope of registration: The manufacture of inorganic-organic composites, recycling of plastics and inorganic-organic composites, and sales of plastic scraps and recycled plastics
- ・Certification body：BSI Group Japan K,K.
- ・Certification number: EMS 803494
- ・ Certification registration certificate
Life Cycle Assessment: Reduction of product's environmental impacts
We use Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which is a scientific method for quantitatively evaluating the environmental impact of the entire product/service life cycle or its specific stages. This is to comprehensively understand and reduce not only the environmental impact caused by TBM, but also the environmental impact caused upstream and downstream of the supply chain.
Our assessment started jointly with the Oki Laboratory of the Institute of Industrial Science, the University of Tokyo in 2016. From 2018 to 2019, we conducted the LCA on LIMEX Sheet and products made of LIMEX Pellet with Japan Environmental Management Association for Industry (JEMAI). From 2020, we are working on LCA with the cooperation of the Sustainable Management Promotion Organization (SuMPO), which took over the business of JEMAI's industry support department.
At the development and manufacturing stages, we use this LCA method to quantify the environmental impact at each stage of the product life cycle, identify the characteristics of the environmental impact for each product, identify areas for improvement, and confirm the effects of improvements. .
Resources & Circular Economy
Reducing dependency on unevenly distributed resources
TBM develops, manufactures, and sells LIMEX mainly made from limestone, which is abundant throughout the world, thereby reducing the use of petroleum-based plastics, which utilizes oil that are mined only in limited areas of the globe. In addition, as it is said that 51% of the world's population will be at risk of high water risk by 2050 *, we provide LIMEX Sheet, which can be manufactured using less water.
*WWF 2020 “Water Risk Filter Brief”
Material Circulation
TBM promotes material circulation to prevent environmental problems associated with resource use, such as the depletion of natural resources and pollution from waste. In particular, we have been working on the use of offcuts at our own factories since the start of operations, and now we are able to reuse many of them as raw materials. We are also working to recycle our used products and waste plastics through our business.
Climate Change
Target
TBM Pledge 2030 sets the following three goals as Go Carbon Negative (to achieve carbon negative by 2030).
- Zero GHG emissions (Scope 1 and 2) from TBM
- 50% reduction of GHG emissions from TBM's value chain (Scope 3, base year: FY2020)
- Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across society
The TBM target has been certified as a "1.5°C target" by the international initiative "Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)" established to promote the achievement of GHG (greenhouse gas) emission reduction targets. We also signed "The Climate Pledge" jointly launched by Amazon and Global Optimism.
GHG Emissions Reductions
TBM uses electricity that is essentially 100% renewable energy-derived and has a zero CO 2 emission factor at its LIMEX manufacturing plants, Shiroishi Factory and Tohoku LIMEX Factory. As a result, we have significantly reduced energy-derived greenhouse gases such as CO 2 associated with the operation of both factories, and are working to reduce GHG emissions in the supply chain of LIMEX Sheet and LIMEX Pellet provided to customers. is.
Calculation and Information Disclosure
TBM calculates Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions. In addition to our own direct emissions, we identify indirect emissions in the value chain and strive to collect information necessary for reduction. In particular, we are collaborating with external partners for emissions that are difficult to calculate. We also place importance on disclosing the information we collect to our stakeholders.
Calculation of CO2 emissions associated with transportation in cooperation with Hacobell Inc.
In order to increase the accuracy of calculations of CO 2 emissions associated with transportation by accumulating emissions for each project rather than estimating them based on scenarios, we are working with Hacobell Inc. to calculate CO 2 emissions and vidualize them without increasing a workload. This initiative won the 2022 Logistics Grand Prize Special Award held by the the Japan Institute of Logistics Systems (JILS).
Responses to CDP questionnaires
TBM has been voluntarily responding to questionnaires from CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), an international ESG information disclosure and evaluation organization, since 2017. In fiscal 2023, we received a rating of B for climate change and B for water.
Support for calculation and reduction of GHG emissions
In response to the requests from our customers, TBM operates ScopeX, a platform that supports the calculation and reduction of GHG emissions.
Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services
Development of biodegradable LIMEX
Policies to combat marine plastic pollution vary by country and region. For example, China *, the world's largest consumer of plastics, is actively promoting the introduction of biodegradable plastics. Biodegradability refers to the property of being decomposed into water and CO 2 by the action of microorganisms. In 2021, TBM will establish a JV (joint venture) ``SK TBMGEOSTONE Co., Ltd.'' in cooperation with SKC, a major Korean conglomerate chemical material, to promote the development and commercialization of biodegradable LIMEX. doing.
*OECD 2022 “Global Plastics Outlook: Policy Scenarios to 2060”
Utilizing Marine Plastics
TBM is working to recycle the plastic litter that has washed ashore on the coast and aiming to reduce marine litter and create businesses. We participate in "Project Ikkaku, an industry-academia collaboration jointly implemented by the Nippon Foundation, the Japan Advanced Science and Technology Organization for Education, Human Development and Research (JASTO), and Leave a Nest Co., Ltd. As part of this, we made bags for collecting litter that has drifted ashore from marine plastics. We also support the recycling of oyster pipes by Scout Association of Japan's "Plastic Garbage Busters Daisakusen Upcycle Mission"
Marine Debris Collection Bags
When unfolded, it becomes a leisure sheet
Marine Debris Collection Bag
Small pouch for collection
of smaller plastic debris
