Recycling Resources Recycling Resources

Approach to Materiality in Drainage and Waste

Basic Policy

The Advantest Group pursues operations encompassing the "3Rs" (reduce, reuse, and recycle) with the aim of realizing a recycling society.
We have enhanced efforts to sort components that have been ongoing since fiscal 2009 and ensured thorough compliance so as to recover valuable materials from waste. The waste produced in our business activities (packaging materials, etc.) is sorted into each category of waste so it is processed properly after identifying the disposal procedure with the contractor and each element is recycled based on the laws related to waste processing and cleaning as well as the laws and regulations in each region as a waste business operator.

Proper Disposal of Waste Plastics and Material Recycling

Advantest has been recycling all waste plastics at business locations in Japan.
At its Gunma Factory, trays and magazines, which are used as parts containers, are disposed of as waste plastics.
Individual employees check the recycling identification mark on each container to sort containers containing PVC.
This allows waste plastics to turn into the main raw material for RPF (Refuse Paper & Plastic Fuel), which is a high-quality solid fuel.
Waste plastics containing PVC are crushed, incinerated, and recycled as molten slag, which is used mainly as roadbed material.

Proper Disposal of Equipment Containing PCB

Advantest owns three capacitors, fluorescent lights and stabilizers which contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), but all pieces of the equipment which contained PCB was properly disposed of during fiscal 2017.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) Entered into with Waste Disposal Service Providers Stipulating the Exclusion of Antisocial Forces

Companies have been imposing written obligations stipulating that contractual relationships may be terminated if the counterparty is found to be an anti-social organization. This is premised on ordinances established by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and other municipalities calling for the elimination of crime syndicates.

Moreover, the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), in calling on companies to overhaul their corporate behavior, is recommending that they conclude such written agreements as a way of ridding society of anti-social forces.

In accordance with ordinances calling for the exclusion of criminal elements and in line with recommendations of Keidanren in that regard, the Advantest Group's compliance initiatives entail concluding a Memorandum of Understanding with all waste disposal service providers involved in our business dealings, stipulating that contractual relations may be terminated if it is discovered that a business partner acts as an anti-social organization.

Eco-friendly Recycling in Employee Cafeteria

We recycle the leftover food generated by the Advantest Gunma R&D Center's employee cafeteria. The leftovers are processed into compost. Some of the compost is then used to fertilize an onsite vegetable garden, and some is distributed to employees at no cost. Produce from the garden is used in meal preparation at the cafeteria. Used cooking oil also goes to recycle operators, where it is processed into biodiesel fuel for reuse.

Effective Use of Water Resources

Advantest's main usage applications of its water resources are the operation of air conditioners, kitchen use, toilet cleaning, and drinking. At our main bases, we use water for industrial use efficiently. In addition to using this water for cleaning the toilets, we also use it with roof-mounted sprinklers to improve cooling in the summer. Advantest is also filtering drinking water and using ultra-pure water at some business establishments. It should be noted that approximately 90% of the discharged water produced by Advantest Group is classed as domestic sewage. Currently, domestic sewage and rain water cannot be recycled.

Advantest's development and manufacturing sites in Japan are located in Gunma Prefecture and Saitama Prefecture and use water resources from the Tonegawa River. In order to protect the Tonegawa River's water resources, we carry out forest protection activities in the national forest in Gunma Prefecture, the source of the river.
Of course, every member of our staff takes care not to waste water, and strives to make effective use of our water resources.