Oct. 27, 2016
For a Sustainable World: Connect the earth's
precious resources with the future
The fresh water that humans can use is some 0.01% of all the water on the earth. The main business of the Suntory Group is supported by the bounty of nature including water and crops. We recognize that the most important issue in our business activities is “Water Sustainability,” which involves not only using water with great care and returning it to nature, but also contributing to the healthy circulation of water in nature by protecting the forests that nurture groundwater, and the like.
*All of these only within Japan
・Water conservation activities: Thoroughly implementing the “3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)” of water in order to reduce the amount of water used in the plant.
・Quality Management: We do our own inspections of some 200 standard items in addition to the mandatory quality inspections.
・Wastewater Management: We apply purification treatments to the wastewater with strict voluntary standards that return it nearly to its natural state before discharging it into the river.
・Water Resource Cultivation: We deploy the forest development project “Natural Water Sanctuary” in the water resource area of the plant.
・Environmental education program for next generations: We deploy the “Suntory Mizuiku - Education Program for Nature and Water” to convey the importance of water to children so that we can hand over our water resources to them in the future.
Reducing as much as possible the amount of water used at the plant.
Leading the industry with the least water used.
We have achieved the top level in the industry with the least water used to produce 1 kl of product, through a very high degree of rotating reuse with the Water Cascade* (multi-stage) Usage at the Suntory Minami Alps Hakushu Water Plant.
*Water Cascade Usage
This is a technology for step-by-step reuse of the water used in the manufacturing process, with the water classified into five grades (degrees of cleanliness) including cooling and cleaning water, covering from applications requiring a high grade to applications requiring the next grade.
Cleaning and returning to nature
24-Hour check of the water flowing from the plant
In order to return the water as close as possible to its natural state before returning it to nature, we have established voluntary standards that are stricter than the mandatory regulations and thoroughly implement Quality Assurance for the wastewater. Wastewater that flows from the plant is purified with anaerobic wastewater treatment* and then discharged into the sewers and rivers. In implementing this Quality Assurance, inspectors constantly monitor the measuring devices and carry out water quality inspections every day.
*A process for disintegrating contaminants using microorganisms (anaerobic bacteria)
The challenge is ongoing for us to hand over the earth's precious resources going forward.
Related Links
・For a Sustainable World: The Pursuit of Environmentally Conscientious Packages
・"Protecting the future of water and life" Suntory's "Natural Water Sanctuary" Activities
・CSR Report (Water Sustainability)