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Nikkei Ecology

August 2005 Issue

Cover Story 1

Field Survey on 3,000 business sites nationwide
Business sites with ISO certification embark on the path of improving their ISO activities


Companies start reviewing their ISO activities, taking advantage of the ISO 14001 revision

Oki Electric Industry acquires ISO unified certification, which contributes to the quick development of a new model ATM

A management executive at Yamaha Motor takes the lead in reducing environmental risk

NHK Spring and other companies devote extra time and energy to raise environmental awareness of employers

MOS Food Services and Seiyu take measures to involve part-time workers in environmental activities of the companies

Sufficient abilities for careful and coherent examination are required of accreditation bodies

Major reasons for acquiring ISO certification are to improve the brand name and reduce costs

Cover Story 2

The Sixth “Eco Brand Survey”

One key to successful eco-brand recognition is how to communicate the environmental-friendliness of eco products to consumers

Technology

First Step in Technology
[Solar Power Generation] With its world market expanding rapidly, solar power generation may become in full-scale use as early as in 2010

Products
[Two-wheeled electric vehicle] Yamaha Motor releases a strategic product, seeking to win male customers by offeringhigh driving performance

New Energy
[Dimethyl ether (DME)] Trucks that run on the new fuel are used in actual work sites

Environmental Cleansing
[Phosphorus recovery system] New systems are being developed to use phosphorus in wastewater as fertilizer

“Honor Students” in Recycling
[White ceramic ware] White ceramic dishes and bowls are recycled to create new-brand tableware

Learn about environmental laws

Easy-to-understand Environmental Law
[Partial amendment to the Law Concerning the Promotion of the Measures to Cope with Global Warming] Measures are strengthened to achieve the Kyoto Protocol targets, and the obligation to announce the amount of greenhouse gas emitted is in place

Environmental Laws Q&A
Is the definition of waste given by the Ministry of the Environment compatible with regulations in the Civil Code?

This Month’s Environmental Law
Basic policy of the Waste Disposal Law is revised, stressing the need for a charging system for waste collection and introduction of thermal recycling

Kenichiro Sato’s Report from the Diet
The litigation system that protects the environment is needed to resolve the Isahaya Bay reclamation work suspension issue

Trend and News

Recycling
The interim report on the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law review is issued, demanding an increase in waste collection charges borne by businesses

Soil Contamination
The soil contamination cover-up by the Mitsubishi Group has a great impact on real-estate trading

Energy
The controversy on the origin of petroleum is reignited by a series of research reports on the possible non-biological origin

Low-pollution vehicle
Toyota launches a new compact car with high fuel efficiency comparable to that of Prius in the European market

Industrial Waste
The largest-scale illegal dumping in Japan is found in Yokkaichi City

Nature conservation
Shiretoko is to be registered as a World Heritage site soon; an urgent problem is how to achieve a good balance between ecosystem conservation and fishery

New Energy
Tokyo Electric Power Company achieves the obligatory amount under the RPS Law with unexpectedly increased wind and solar power generation

Use of Microorganisms
Nisshin Seifun successfully uses flour to purify soil with 1/3 of the conventional work period and 20% less cost

NPO
The NPO bank established by a rock band member and others is doing well

Environmental consulting
The ERM Group, a leading provider of environmental consulting services, plans to double the sales in China in the next two years

CSR Frontline

The number of stockholder proposals on global warming is increasing in the U.S.; what does it imply?

Most Chinese companies are indifferent to corporate social responsibility (CSR), while the Chinese government takes stringent measures to polluting companies

Kyoto Mechanism
Q&A to Understand the Kyoto Mechanism
There is only a sluggish growth in the number of energy conservation projects proposed as CDM projects, and the reason may be the additionality that is difficult to prove

ECO Interview
Takashi Yoshida, chairman, ISO/TC207/SC1 Committee in Japan
 “ISO activities should be carried out in the main line of business”


ECO Column

Kankan Gakugaku (Active Argument over Environmental Issues)
Hiroko Koshino, fashion designer

Takuro Morinaga’s ECO Lifestyle
Alien species that have been treated at the mercy of people’s desire and needs may be victims as well

Fieldwork Japan
Forests are being restored in the Ashio mountainous area.

Report

Achieve the Top Sales with Eco Products!
Designated nonprofit organization “Sekken-no-machi” and its major product “Sekken-no-machi”

Inside-Out
[Dismantling of incinerators – part 1] Dioxin pollution problem lingers in Nose

WorldWatch Institute
How genetically modified trees would affect the ecosystem remains unclear

ECO Seminar

How to make the best use of ISO
[Fujitsu Limited – part 2]
“Green product development” set as one of environmental goals helps motivate employees

New Environmental Study
[Dismantling dams in the U.S.] Learn from the first case of a medium-sized dam demolished to restore fish habitat

Quick Guide to Environmental Key Words
ISO 14001

Practical Examples of Environmental Communication
Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.

World Trend

From EU
Member countries fall behind schedule in taking steps for recycling of electrical/electronic products

From UK
Experts determine the feasibility of EU ETS by evaluating its market

From USA
Which are more environment-friendly, paper diapers or cloth diapers?

From Germany
Energy efficiency improvement programs are expected to create 1 million jobs

From China
In anticipation of a serious power shortage again this summer, more companies introduce private power generators despite potential risks they may have

Nikkei BP EcoManagement Forum

[ECO graph]

[Eco Brand Survey] Ranking 2005