Sustainability

Taking the FUJIFILM Group Green Policy as a foundation, DS Chemport implements these global practices while taking into account and including specific requirements from a local perspective. Our guiding principle is that no aspect of our business is exempt from assessment - a continuous endeavour, as we identify whether tasks can be carried out in a more sustainable and environmentally responsible manner. All tasks and practices, whether they be administrative, manufacturing, laboratory or supply chain based, are regularly reviewed, improved and implemented.

The products that we develop are thoroughly evaluated to ensure that they meet market demands, but steps are taken to also ensure that the best practices available are employed during their manufacture and their application. This includes waste minimisation or elimination, increased use of raw materials derived from renewable sources and efficient supply chain systems. Our aim is to constantly increase the know-how of our employees and in turn, pass this on to our customers. 

Among various techniques, the well established 3 R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - are predominantly used. Audits are taken to identify waste streams and consider ways in which they can be avoided or minimised. Should there still be waste produced after this stage, assessment is made to identify ways to reuse the waste, either within or outside the company. We then move to recycling options, recovering material when feasible or responsibly disposing of material with accredited carriers when we can’t.

Areas that we are actively involved in include;
 

Water Conservation

• Rain water tanks have been built in, below the warehouse floor for use in manufacturing
• Filtration and reuse of waste water for use in “B” class applications, such as toilets and factory floor cleaning
• Floors are sealed and coated, thereby enabling more effective cleaning using less water
• Batch scheduling is carried out in the most efficient manner to avoid unnecessary cleaning of tanks and manufacturing equipment, thereby saving water

Waste Reduction

• Manufacturing procedures are optimised to produce less mess and therefore less wastewater is generated in cleaning
• Paper and cardboard generated in manufacturing and office activities is separated from general waste for pickup and recycling
• Waste solvent is sold as a feedstock to other industries

Recycling

• 1000L packaging used to supply customers with products are returned for reuse
• Packaging from Raw Materials are sent to recyclers for cleaning and reuse
• Unusual or damaged pallets are returned to suppliers for repair and resale
• Shrink wrap on incoming goods is used as a protective filler in boxes of outgoing goods

Emission Reduction

• Mixing tanks are capped, thereby minimizing emission of solvents to the atmosphere
• Use of low volatility solvents
• Supply chain management to reduce CO2 emissions derived from transport

Reduced Energy Use

• Conversion of lighting to fluorescent
• Security lighting on timers
• Insulation in combination with innovative window design to create a more energy efficient and comfortable office environment
• Electrical equipment including air conditioning, computers and lights are switched off when not required

Reduced Environmental Impact

• Rain water tanks to eliminate reliance on potable mains water
• Smarter DSC products are allowing customers to achieve high performance from their equipment, while emitting less VOC’s
• Increased use of raw materials derived from renewable resources
• Increased used of electronic data storage
• Use of duplex printers

 Further Reading -Fujifilm Global (Sustainability)