World Water Day (March 22, 2012)Water Management Initiatives-Advancing Initiatives to Conserve Water Resources Around the World-
Tokyo (March 21, 2012)-Bridgestone Corporation today announced initiatives to ensure the Bridgestone Group plays a proactive role in efforts to realize a sustainable society.
The Group has a clear long-term aspiration for environmental activities through its Environmental Mission Statement, which calls on the Group to focus on three important objectives: ecological conservation, resource conservation, and carbon emissions reduction. In accordance with this mission, the Group is promoting globally a wide variety of projects and business processes that benefit the environment.
In conjunction with World Water Day, declared by United Nations General Assembly, Bridgestone will highlight its water management initiatives, which promote the sustainable use of water resources in its manufacturing processes. These initiatives include using water in an efficient manner, thoroughly managing waste water, as well as disclosing the results of these and other initiatives.
In the future, water shortages are projected to occur on a global scale, due to population growth, climate change, and other factors, resulting in a rise in the number of people without sufficient access to water. For this reason, actions such as securing stable supplies of safe and clean water, efficiently using water resources, and preserving water-based ecosystems must be taken throughout the world.
Going forward, the Bridgestone Group will continue to advance its water management initiatives in accordance with the Group's Environmental Mission Statement.
<Examples of Water Management Initiatives>
·Region: Europe
·Activity: Improving water efficiency
Because water resources are extremely precious in the European region, for some time Bridgestone Europe NV/SA (BSEU) has identified reducing water usage volume in manufacturing processes as one of its environmental targets. As a result, all tire plants in the region are showing continuous improvement in this area, based on the framework of the Group's original integrated environmental management system.
[Activity details]
·Recycling coolant by installing cooling towers
·Optimizing water supply by fundamentally revising pipe arrangement
·Replacing existing equipment with highly efficient equipment
·Reducing coolant usage volume by improving manufacturing processes
(reducing vulcanization time etc.)
·Ensuring rigorous maintenance of water-using equipment
 Highly efficient cooling towers |
 Reducing water usage volume by 52% through optimizing water supply |
[Benefits]
Reduced 2010 water input volume by 30% versus 2003
(all seven BSEU tire plants※)
Improved water input volume by 47% per unit of production
*France: Bethune
Spain: Bilbao, Burgos
Poland: Poznan, Stargard
Italy: Bari
Hungary: Tatabanya
Spain: Bilbao, Burgos
Poland: Poznan, Stargard
Italy: Bari
Hungary: Tatabanya
|
·Region: Japan  Recycling system |
·Activity: Installing eco-watching monitors  Screen of an eco-watching monitor installed in the plant's reception area |
|
·Region: Thailand |
 BSCB's rainwater reservoir |
|
·Region: The United States |
 Using rainwater to develop an elementary school's garden |
About Bridgestone Corporation:
Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. In addition to tires for use in a wide variety of applications, it also manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world.
About Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) is a business unit of Bridgestone Americas, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world's largest tire and rubber company. Reporting into the BATO business unit are the company's Latin American tire operations; the U.S. and Canadian consumer tire businesses; the U.S. and Canadian commercial tire businesses; and Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC, which operates the largest network of company-owned automotive service providers in the world. BATO develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires. The business unit is focused on retail, wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires, as well as retreads, to its customers in the Americas.
About Bridgestone Europe
Bridgestone Europe (BSEU), with European headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, is a key regional subsidiary of Tokyo-based Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest manufacturer of tires and other rubber products. Bridgestone Europe operates an R&D center, 8 plants and offices in more than 30 European countries, with over 13,000 employees. BSEU’s premium tires are sold both within Europe and globally.
Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. In addition to tires for use in a wide variety of applications, it also manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world.
About Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) is a business unit of Bridgestone Americas, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world's largest tire and rubber company. Reporting into the BATO business unit are the company's Latin American tire operations; the U.S. and Canadian consumer tire businesses; the U.S. and Canadian commercial tire businesses; and Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC, which operates the largest network of company-owned automotive service providers in the world. BATO develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires. The business unit is focused on retail, wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires, as well as retreads, to its customers in the Americas.
About Bridgestone Europe
Bridgestone Europe (BSEU), with European headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, is a key regional subsidiary of Tokyo-based Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest manufacturer of tires and other rubber products. Bridgestone Europe operates an R&D center, 8 plants and offices in more than 30 European countries, with over 13,000 employees. BSEU’s premium tires are sold both within Europe and globally.
