Care of the environment is a key concern in Sato Pharmaceutical’s Healthcare Innovation philosophy that goes right along with the desire to provide the pharmaceutical products that help create a healthy society. As part of our environmental efforts, a reduction in the weight of 100ml drink bottles in 2008 was just one of many actions to reduce the environmental impact created by our manufacturing processes. With the new focus changing from factory to refuse, came a thorough recycling system that turns waste into a resource. Another new action was the construction in May 2009 of new solar electric-generation panels at the Kazusa Factory.

Turning refuse into a resource at the Hachioji and Kazusa Factories

At Sato Pharmaceutical’s two main production centers in Japan, the Hachioji Factory and Kazusa Factory, work is progressing on converting the waste generated into a resource through recycling. At the Hachioji Factory, a waste measurement control system has been established, with waste paper and plastic sold to recyclers. At the Kazusa Factory, operations began in 2002 for equipment that can both cope with high production volumes and also provide reduced resource use. In drink production, the sludge created from diatomaceous soil, used as a filter, is being used as a fuel source, while packing materials such as cartons are also being recycled. These and other efforts have resulted in a 90-percent recycling rate. To help make sure the production systems at both the Hachioji Factory and Kazusa Factory have the lowest possible environmental impact, both have been certied to the ISO14001 international standard for environmental management.