Environmental Protection
Environmental Protection
(1) Environmental Management Policies and Systems
a. The Company complies with the requirements of ISO 14001 to establishes an environmental management system. We have been paying considerable attention to such significant environmental issues as the pollutions (including air pollution, water pollution and waste), water and electricity consumption and hazardous substances, which have been generated during the production process. We set up dedicated management units and personnel to prevent environmental pollution, which include air pollution, water pollution and waste, and to manage energy consumption efficiently.
b. The Company regularly checks greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with ISO 14064-1 to review the impact on our operations. Based on the results of the greenhouse gas inventory, we will continue to implement carbon reduction measures to effectively reduce the risk of Scope 1 emissions and the indirect emissions of Scope 2 greenhouse gases caused by the use of electricity. In April 2023, the greenhouse gas inventory inspection has been completed and verified by a third-party, and its verification certificate is expected to be obtained in June 2023. The annual internal audit plan is planned, aiming at the compliance with various relevant environmental laws and regulations, and at auditing each operating process to ensure that they are in accordance with the regulations.
(2) Executive Summary
Inventory of greenhouse gas emissions
The Company regularly checks greenhouse gas emission in accordance with ISO 14064-1. The boundary range includes plants in Taiwan and in China, so as to grasp the overall greenhouse gas emission status and to review and set our yearly goals. Our results of the greenhouse gas inventory in 2021and in 2022 were 197,445.978 tons CO2e / year and 173,929.290 tons CO2e / year, respectively. That in 2022 was 12% lower than that in 2021. We continue to implement carbon reduction measures to meet the emission targets expected by our customers and the government.
In response to regulations on climate change and greenhouse gas reduction, our targets for greenhouse gas reduction have been set for 2025 (-25%) and 2050 (net zero).
Energy Management
The overall electricity consumption intensity in 2022 was 20,450 kWh / NT$ 1,000,000 (Revenue), which was 7.4% lower than that in 2021. Although the target of reducing electricity consumption intensity by 8% has not been achieved, the Company continues to develop a variety of energy-saving projects and sets a 2023 target of reducing the consumption intensity by 5%.
In 2022, the overall carbon dioxide equivalent intensity of electricity consumption was 10.4 CO2e / NT$ 1,000,000 (Revenue), which was 7.4% lower than that in 2021, and has not reached the target of reducing by 8%. The Company continues to reduce electricity consumption and expects to achieve the target of reducing by 8% in 2023.
Water Usage Management
On the whole, the total water consumption in our group has not increased significantly in the past three years and its water consumption per unit of revenue has gradually declined. The water consumption intensity by NT$ 1 million of revenue in 2020, 2021 and 2022 were 280.8 m3, 251.6 m3 and 241.2 m3 respectively. That in 2022 was 4% lower than that in 2021. There was a downward trend in our water consumption intensity by NT$ 1 million of revenue. And it is estimated that that will decrease further by 5% in 2023.
In 2022, the overall carbon dioxide equivalent intensity of water consumption was 0.000056 CO2e / NT$ 1,000,000 (Revenue), which was 4% lower than that in 2021, and has not reached the target of reducing carbon dioxide equivalent intensity by 5%. The Company continues to improve it and expects to achieve the target of reducing by 5% in 2023.
Waste Water Management
In 2022, the volume of the treated water discharged from our plants in Taiwan and in China were around 1.76 million and 1.18 million tons respectively, accounting for 59% and 41% of our total discharge. The average wastewater discharge intensity by NT$ 1 million of revenue in 2020, in 2021 and in 2022 are 256.4 m3, 218.1 m3 and 191.0 m3 respectively. Our Taoyuan Plants and Pingzhen Plant have also cooperated with environmental protection agencies and the sewage treatment center in Pingzhen Industrial Zone to implement total discharge control or voluntary discharge reduction to decrease the loading of sewage treatment. In addition to complying with regulations, we have adopted stricter standards to manage copper residue and ammonia nitrogen in the discharged water in order to reduce the pollution and the impact on the receiving water and to achieve the goal of environmental friendliness.
Air Pollution Management
The air pollutants generated in the production of printed circuit boards mainly include acid waste gas, alkaline waste gas and volatile organic waste gas. In our results of air pollution management, the total emissions of all pollutants in 2022 decreased compared with 2021, except for nitrogen oxides which increased by 46%. There will be no emissions of sulfur oxides. And volatile organic compounds and suspended particles decreased by 13% and by 28% respectively.
The air pollutants emission intensity by NT$ 1 million of revenue in 2021 is 4.27 kg, and reduced to 3.79 kg in 2022, which shows a downward trend.