Chemical Substance Control and Reduction

Yokogawa strictly manages chemicals that are harmful to the global environment and the human body. Furthermore, to comply with RoHS directives restricting the use of certain chemicals in electrical and electronic equipment in Europe, as well as with the REACH Regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of CHemical substances), we are implementing efforts for the reduction and management of such chemical substances.

Electromagnetic Flowmeter

In the process of molding an electromagnetic flowmeter, a mold release agent is used to neatly remove the Teflon component from the mold. Formerly, we used a chemical containing n-hexane for the release agent (spray).
N-hexane has long been used in Japan because its use for industrial products is not regulated in the country. However, following our transfer of the relevant production to a factory in Suzhou, China, the Suzhou government enacted a regulation on the use of n-hexane, with which we had to comply.
We received a request from the Suzhou factory to replace n-hexane with another chemical for use in the mold release agent, and have studied possible alternatives. The previously used release agent was a custom-made product. Therefore, we worked in cooperation with the supplier of the release agent and made the necessary adjustment. We have significantly reduced the amount of n-hexane used in the release agent by using isohexane as the alternative.

The amount of substances reported under PRTR* requirements (1,000 kg/year or more handled) is shown in the table.

*PRTR System:

PRTR SYSTEM…The PRTR, or Pollutant Release and Transfer Register, was established to enable society as a whole to manage chemical substances through the disclosure of toxic chemical emissions data and other information.