Because Fujifilm manufactures a wide range of products including chemical products, highly functional materials, optical devices, office equipment, and medical equipment, we have established management rules for each manufacturing process of our products from two perspectives: management of the handling of chemical substances and management of information on chemical substances in our products. We have implemented global operations management across the Group and we have established a system to acquire accurate information on the laws and regulations in each country and region around the world to start a prompt preparation in an early stage. This has allowed us to maintain comprehensive and efficient management of chemical substances.
Please visit here to read about Fujifilm Group's ongoing activities for proper chemical substance management.
In the polymerization process used to manufacture functional polymers such as adhesives, paints, and coatings, organic solvents that dissolve other substances and oil soluble azo initiators that dissolve in these organic solvents are generally used. The use and disposal of organic solvents can lead to the emission of high environmental impact VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which pose potential health risks and contribute to air pollution.
Fujifilm Group has developed water soluble azo initiators that is easily dissolved in water instead of organic solvents. As a result, it allows for the reduction of organic solvents used throughout the manufacturing process when compared to conventional oil soluble azo initiators. This contributes to the reduction of VOC emissions generated during the use and disposal of organic solvents.
Furthermore, the reduction in the use and disposal of organic solvents also leads to a decrease in CO2 emissions. Moving forward, we will continue to provide materials that contribute to reducing environmental impact.
