Promoting Life Cycle Assessment

Basic Concept

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a process used to numerically assess the use of raw materials, their environmental impact, and their potential environmental impact on the earth and ecosystem over the entire life of a product, spanning the procurement of raw materials through to production, distribution, use and disposal. The Nisshinbo Group's Business Conduct Guidelines include Awareness and Concern towards its environmental impact. The Group promotes the reduction of environmental burdens throughout the life cycle of its products, including the stage of use, and faithfully realizes a safe and secure society for all people. The Group manages key performance indicators (KPIs) as part of systematic measures to achieve its environmental goal of promoting LCA.

【Main measures】

  • ①Improved convenience by making the same LCA software available in Japan and overseas
  • ②Promoting the development and expansion of operators by holding LCA software utilization seminars
  • ③Reduction of chemical substances and waste emissions based on product LCA results
  • ④Introduction of LCA from the product development stage and application of it for the development of environmentally friendly products

Please refer to "Promotion System" in "Environmental Activities" for the promotion system.

Specific Initiatives of The Nisshinbo Group

Advancement of LCA activities

The Nisshinbo Group is expanding its LCA activities while putting LCA software to effective use to calculate LCA data in order to understand environmental impacts and promote product standards and manufacturing process improvements, as well as the development of environmentally friendly products.

Naturally, the Group draws on LCA product results to reduce energy consumption in manufacturing and emissions of chemical substances. Additionally, the Group introduced LCA from the product development stage, contributing to the expansion of sales of environmentally friendly products.

Image of Life Cycle Assessment
Image of Life Cycle Assessment

Specific Activities of the Group Companies

LCA Implementation for Newly Ordered Products

Nisshinbo Precision Instrument & Machinery Hiroshima Corp. conducted Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of EGR and ESV for newly ordered products as part of its efforts in FY2022, which improved the company's LCA implementation rate by 15%.

The main purpose of this newly ordered product is to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) contained in engine exhaust gas. The valve is designed to return a minimum amount of exhaust gas to the intake side of the engine depending on the engine operating conditions. EGR stands for exhaust gas recirculation, which means that once exhaust gas has been discharged, it is returned to the intake port of the engine and then to the combustion chamber. The ESV has a valve in the exhaust pipe route and adjusts the exhaust gas pressure by changing the opening degree of the valve according to the engine operating conditions. A portion of the pressure-adjusted exhaust gas is returned through the EGR path and recirculated to the engine intake.

The LCA results are shown in the figure below. Most of the impact on CO2 emissions comes from the power source for operating the production facilities for processing, cleaning, and assembling products. In the future, the company will work on improvements to increase production efficiency with the aim of reducing the energy required for this power. The company is also promoting cost reduction activities through VA* activities to conserve resources by reducing the number of parts.

* VA: Value Analysis. An organized activity aimed at obtaining the necessary functions of a product or service at the lowest possible cost.

EGR
EGR
System diagram (EGR)
System diagram (EGR)
LCA analysis results (EGR)
LCA analysis results (EGR)
ESV
ESV
System diagram (ESV)
System diagram (ESV)
LCA analysis results (ESV)
LCA analysis results (ESV)

Promotion of LCA Analysis

Nisshinbo Textile Inc. is promoting Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis of the products it manufactures and sells.

In FY2022, the company conducted an analysis of ring yarn produced and sold at Nisshinbo Do Brasil Industria Textil LTDA. Ring yarns are strong yarns with uniformly aligned fibers and uniform twisting throughout. It is generally used for knitwear and shirts.

Brazil is a country with a high ratio of hydroelectric power generation, which is a clean energy source, compared to countries with a high ratio of thermal power generation, such as Japan. Therefore, for the same product, yarns produced in Brazil emit less CO2 during the manufacturing process. In addition, the cotton used in Nisshinbo Do Brasil Industria Textil LTDA. is produced in Brazil, which also reduces the transportation load. LCA analysis has revealed that CO2 emissions for the same product vary depending on the production region.

The company will continue to conduct LCA analysis for other production regions such as Indonesia.