Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd. of Japan announced on April 14, 2005 that it has succeeded in the elimination of all greenhouse gases (GHGs) except carbon dioxide (CO2) from the production processes at its Japanese factories, including those of affiliated companies.

Fuji Xerox emitted a total of 145,000 tons (CO2 equivalent) of greenhouse gases in fiscal 1990 at its domestic factories. Of this figure, 25,000 tons (about 17 percent) were non-CO2 gases: methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs, a chlorofluorocarbon alternative), perfluorocarbons (another alternative for chlorofluorocarbon) and sulfur hexafluoride. All five are among national emission reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol.

By fiscal 2003, Fuji Xerox had reduced its GHG emissions to 111,000 tons (23 percent reduction from 1990). The emissions of non-CO2 GHGs had declined to about 1,500 tons (about 2 percent of the total). At this point, the company had eliminated all non-CO2 emissions except HFCs, which were still being used at facilities such as the Suzuka Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd., one of the company's manufacturing subsidiaries, which was using HFCs for cleaning processes of optical parts for copy machines and printers.

This year Suzuka Fuji Xerox succeeded in completely eliminating HFC use by the introduction of a new steam-cleaning method using alcohol-based solvents. This method is used to clean and dry parts by using steam to create clean environments free of foreign materials. With the new method, the Suzuka plant also succeeded in reducing its annual costs by about two million yen (U.S.$18,690).

http://www.fujixerox.co.jp/eng/headline/2005/0414_hfc.html

Posted: 2005/07/04 05:41:39 AM
Japanese version

TAG Global warming , Manufacturing industry