Controlling the Use of Environmentally-sensitive Substances
 (Ricoh Group/Global)
Ricoh set original standards for environmentally-sensitive substances that could be used in its products in 1993 as part of efforts to reduce these substances. Since then, it has regularly reviewed the standards to incorporate the latest regulations and scientific knowledge and has controlled chemical substances accordingly. In fiscal 2007, we reviewed and revised the list of chemical substances controlled by the Ricoh Group to implement even more stringent control and restrictions of the use of the substances that carry substantial risk to the human body and the environment. In addition, all the divisions engaged in production (the design, procurement, and manufacturing divisions) have jointly worked to improve the chemical substance control system. At the end of March 2006, a chemical substance management system (CMS) to prevent chemical contamination at suppliers was created on a global basis.
At the same time, the chemical substance control system within the Ricoh Group was strengthened, completing the management system for chemical substances contained in products within Japan. We completed building a system for outside of Japan in July 2006. In fiscal 2007, in order to comply with the REACH Regulation, we began developing a communication system to ensure that chemical substance information is communicated to every corner of the supply chain, and thus took our management system for chemical substances contained in products to another level. To manufacture products that do not contain environmentally-sensitive substances and promptly disclose information to customers, we will continue our efforts to enhance the chemical substance control system that covers the entire production flow, including suppliers.
|
The relationship among substance groups prohibited, restricted, and controlled by the Ricoh Group and substances restricted by the European RoHS Directive
|
Management System for Chemical Substances Contained in Products and CMS
|
| * |
A manufacturing system to prevent the contamination of parts/materials by environmentally sensitive substances; the Ricoh Group supports suppliers' CMS by providing relevant information and verifies their CMS. |
Response to the REACH Regulation
The Ricoh Group supports the goals of the new European legislation known as REACH-concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and
restriction of Chemicals-which came into effect on 1 June 2007. The objective of REACH is to improve the protection of human health and the environment.
In order for this to be realised, industry must embrace greater responsibility for assessing the properties of substances used in products, managing associated risks, and communicating information within the supply-chain.
Our long standing policy, established in 1993, has been in effect to reduce our products' impact on the global environment, strengthen product safety and
enhance the end-user experience. Under this policy we set company standards for environmentally-sensitive substances as part of our ongoing effort to reduce their presence in products. We regularly review these standards in light of scientific developments to appropriately control our use of chemical substances.
Based on our standards, the Ricoh Group is committed to an ambitious REACH compliance programme, working closely with suppliers and other third parties.
In order to provide products without environmentally-sensitive substances, and more efficient and more accurate information to customers,
we will continue our efforts to enhance Ricoh Group's Management System for chemical substances contained in the entire products including suppliers,
in partnership with the Joint Article Manegement Promotion-consortium(JAMP).*
* Joint Article Manegement Promotion-consortium (JAMP)
This consortium was inaugurated in September 2006 as an entitiy to promote cross-industrial activities contributing to its mission, based on the recognition that establishment and dissemination of specific mechanisms to facilitate disclosure/conveyance of information on chemicals contained in supply chain products are indisipensable to improve Japanese industrial competitiveness.
See more details  http://www.jamp-info.com/english/ |
Marketing Products Pursuant to the RoHS Directive
Ricoh has been engaged in reducing environmentally-sensitive substances and enhancing its management system for a long time, and has been sequentially launching products complying with the RoHS Directive since fiscal 2004. All applicable products that we launched in and after fiscal 2006 comply with the RoHS Directive.
|
REACH Regulation
This is a new EU regulatory framework for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). It requires the registration and management of all chemical substances used in business in accordance with their conditions of use to ensure safe assessment of chemical substances. It came into force on June 1, 2007, and regulations have been gradually enforced from June 1, 2008.
RoHS Directive
The RoHS Directive, which stands for the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive, is an EU Directive that restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. The directive has been in effect since July 1, 2006.
|
|
Chemical Substance Control for Supplies (Ricoh Group/Global)
Various chemical substances are used in supplies, including toner and developer. Based on the belief that "product safety is a basic condition for customer satisfaction," the Ricoh Group ensures the safety of its supplies through the appropriate chemical substance control. We use an information system called RECSIS*1 to evaluate safety. Depending on the type of product, we set items for which safety should be confirmed, create MSDS,*2 evaluate new chemical substances, check on the method of treatment and disposal, consult the relevant laws and regulations, and prepare safety specification data for products. In fiscal 2006, we upgraded the system. The new system can make automatic safety judgments by referring to the laws and regulations of different countries and Ricoh standards for the chemical substances contained in supplies.
In fiscal 2007, by using this system's database of raw materials, we began taking necessary steps to satisfy the REACH Regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals),*3 under which a pre-registration process commenced in June 2008.
*1 |
1. Ricoh Environmental & Chemical Safety Information System |
| *2 |
Material Safety Data Sheet |
Safety Evaluation System for Supplies
|
Reduction in Environmentally-Sensitive Substances Generated While in Use  (Ricoh/Japan)
Ricoh has established its own standards on chemical emissions* generated by products while in use and endeavors to reduce these emissions. Chemical substances emitted by products like copiers and printers are measured at the emission-measuring testing laboratory located within the company. Ricoh is certificated as an official testing laboratory by Germany's BAM (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung; Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing), and measurement data from Ricoh's testing laboratory will be recognized in registering for the Blue Angel, a German environmental label.
* |
Chemical emissions are chemical substances emitted by products and include ozone, dust, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). |
|
|
Emission-measuring testing laboratory (Ricoh Ohmori Office) |
|
|
|
