Environmental Protection

	Environmental Protection Activities

The Sumitomo Chemical Group regards sustainable environmental management to improve productivity while reducing environmental impact as one of its top priorities. To meet this challenge, we have set targets to be shared throughout the Group and are making efforts to achieve them.

1. Initiatives Undertaken by Sumitomo Chemical and Domestic Group Companies

Sumitomo Chemical has set Group targets for fiscal 2010 to be met by the Company and 16 domestic Group companies^*1 for unit energy consumption, unit CO₂ emissions, the volume of PRTR emissions, and the amount of waste disposed of in landfills, and the companies are implementing specific initiatives to meet these targets.
For the initiatives undertaken by each of the companies, Sumitomo Chemical conducts follow-up surveys and provides guidance to any of the companies whose initiatives have been deemed inadequate to enable all companies to achieve the shared targets.

*1) 16 domestic Group companies:
Asahi Chemical Co., Ltd., Sumika-Kakoushi Co., Ltd., Koei Chemical Co., Ltd., Thermo Co., Ltd., SanTerra Co., Ltd., Shinto Paint Co., Ltd., Sumika Color Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Joint Electric Power Co., Ltd., Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Dow Ltd., Sumika Bayer Urethane Co., Ltd., Taoka Chemical Co., Ltd., Nippon A&L Inc., Nihon Medi-Physics Co., Ltd., Nihon Oxirane Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.

2. Initiatives Undertaken by Overseas Group Companies

Overseas Group companies (nine companies^*2) have also set common targets for primary environmental performance in line with domestic initiatives. With the target year for such activities set at fiscal 2010, follow-up surveys are regularly conducted to confirm that the activities are on track to meet their targets.

*2 Overseas Group companies:
Sumitomo Chemical Singapore Pte Ltd., Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore (Pte) Ltd., The Polyolefin Company (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Sumipex (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Bara Chemical Co., Ltd., SC Enviro Agro India Private Ltd., Sumika Technology Co., Ltd., Dongwoo Fine-Chem Co., Ltd., Dailan Sumika Chemphy Chemical Co., Ltd.

	Risk Communication

Sumitomo Chemical not only carries out necessary environmental protection initiatives but also engages in risk communication to clearly convey the details of these initiatives to all stakeholders in order to deepen mutual understanding. Some of the major examples are outlined below.

Examples of Risk Communication

Purpose(Aim)	Activities
Considering environmental risks in the community → Adhering to the fundamentals of information sharing and mutual understanding	Participating in the risk communication model program of the municipality · Environmental Communication in Chiba (environmental dialogue gathering) (Chiba Works) · Chemical Substance Risk Communication in the Seino region (Gifu Plant)
Preserving the environment and strengthening safety on a community basis → Utilizing community power based on a relationship of trust	A system for local residents to engage in dialogue with environmental monitors (Oita Works) Environmental research contracted to local universities and national colleges (Ehime Works) Building a cooperative framework with Misawa U.S. Air Forces Fire Brigade (Misawa Works)
Support for environmental preservation overseas, etc. → Promoting international cooperation	Assisting in the introduction of Korea's first total water quality control system (Chiba Works) · Full cooperation in the research projects conducted by the Korean Environmental Agency, and in the preparation of a promotional DVD Instructing trainees from overseas countries on measures against air pollution (Osaka Works) Plant visit by Thai government and corporate representatives from Thailand (Chiba Works) Training for members of international institutions (OPCW*) (Osaka Works)
Achieving accountability → Fostering a trust-based relationship with the community through sufficient preliminary explanation	Briefing on regular plant repairs   Briefing on building construction projects (each Works) Briefing on measures against electromagnetic disturbance, etc.
Dialogue with the community based on inter-company cooperation → Community cooperation contributes to improved performance throughout the community	Community dialogue based on cooperation within the chemical industry (responsible care dialogue) (Chiba, Osaka, and Oita Works) Mini community dialogue in cooperation with neighboring firms (Oita Works)

	Participation in the Ministry of the Environment's Eco Internship Program

In fiscal 2008, Sumitomo Chemical again participated in the Eco Internship program offered by the Ministry of the Environment starting in 2007. This program aims to provide university and graduate school students with on-the-job experience in environmental management at a company with the goal of fostering highly environmentally conscious human resources for the next generation.

	Certified as an Eco-First Company

The Japanese Ministry of the Environment launched its Eco-First program in April 2008. Under this program designed to encourage leading companies in each industry to promote further environmental activities, companies submit Eco-First commitments to the Minister of the Environment on their advanced environmental protection measures, including those for the management of chemical substances and for the prevention of global warming. In November 2008, Sumitomo Chemical became the first diversified chemical company to be certified as an Eco-First company by the Ministry.
We will check the progress made on the initiatives committed to, report the results to the Ministry of the Environment regularly, and disclose the details widely to the public.