Four Major Japanese Steel Companies Reduce CO2 Emissions 11% from 1990 Levels in 2008

Copyright Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd.

Four major Japanese steel companies -- Nippon Steel Corp., JFE Steel Corp., Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd., and Kobe Steel Ltd. -- announced in their fiscal 2008 corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reductions they have achieved. According to their reports, the total amount of CO2 they emitted amounted to 158.9 million tons, which was 19.9 million tons (11.1 percent) less than those in the base year of fiscal 1990 (178.8 million tons). The companies had subscribed to the Voluntary Action Plan created by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation, which set a goal of reducing CO2 emissions related to the steel production process by nine percent from 1990 levels in fiscal 2010.

As a result, Nippon Steel (including its five affiliated electric furnace companies) cut its CO2 emissions by 11.3 million tons (15.1 percent), JFE by 5.2 million tons (8.9 percent), Sumitomo Metal by 2.5 million tons (9.1 percent), and Kobe Steel by 1.0 million tons (5.4 percent).

Under pressure from significant production cutbacks in the second half of the year, crude steel production in Japan stood at 105.5 million tons in fiscal 2008, equivalent to 94.4 percent of 1990 levels (111.71 million tons). JFE, however, was able to increase its production by 13 percent from those levels, while Sumitomo Metal increased by 14 percent. As a result of the world's greatest energy conservation efforts to date, these four companies significantly improved their CO2 emissions ratio (the amount of CO2 emitted per one ton of crude steel) compared to the 1990 levels. Nippon Steel improved by 8.6 percent, JFE by 19.4 percent, Sumitomo Metal by 20 percent, and Kobe Steel by 13.9 percent.

Nippon Steal Corp. official website
http://www.nsc.co.jp/en/index.html
JFE Holdings, Inc. official website
http://www.jfe-holdings.co.jp/en/
Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd. official website
http://www.sumitomometals.co.jp/e/
Kobe Steals, Ltd. official website
http://www.kobelco.co.jp/english/

Posted: 2009/12/19 06:00:15 AM