Yokohama Rubber extends biodiversity programme at Japan plants

ERJ staff report (LMH)

Tokyo - The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd said it is strengthening its activities to preserve biological diversity at five of its plants in Japan.

Yokohama formulated guidelines on biodiversity in July 2012. Its Mie plant began work to preserve the environment in fiscal year 2011. The Shinshiro and Mishima plants followed, beginning their efforts in the first half of fiscal year 2012, and the Ibaraki and Nagano plants will do so in the second half.

The Mie plant in Ise-shi, Mie Prefecture, draws water for cooling facilities from the nearby Miyagawa Valley, and discharges water to the Hinokijiri River. The plant participates in tree-planting activities, as part of a programme called Industry Forest sponsored by Mie Prefecture to preserve water sources upstream on the Miyagawa River.

It also monitors bird populations (grey-headed lapwings and bull-headed shrikes) in the downstream of the Miyagawa River, investigates water quality and fauna (medaka and dragonflies), cleans the basin along the Ise Bay where the Hinokijiri River enters, and attempts to exterminate foreign plants (cutleaf evening primrose, etc.) and preserve native ones (seashore false bind weed, beach vitex, beach silvertop).

Now in the second year since the activities started, the approach is shifting to voluntary activities by employees. Employees make plans and investigate on their own initiative, deepening their understanding of biodiversity. Moreover, communications with local communities are invigorated through these efforts.

The Shinshiro Plant in Shinshiro-shi, Aichi Prefecture, investigates effects of water intake from and drainage to the Toyogawa River system, while it works on activities to preserve the Yotsuya Senmaida, the famous terraced rice fields in the prefecture, which draw their water from the same sources as the Toyogawa River system. The Mishima Plant in Mishima-shi, Shizuoka Prefecture, which also began its activities in the present fiscal year, is located next to a residential area known as "Spring-Water City," blessed with abundant clean water. The company works with full consideration for the neighbouring residents, Yokohama said.

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Press release from Yokohama