[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] SK Hynix is strengthening its green management to transform into an eco-friendly company.
According to the industry on the 26th, SK Hynix established the '2022 Eco Vision' with the goal of creating an environmentally friendly semiconductor production plant and selected strategic tasks in three areas. Through this, the entire process from electricity and water usage to greenhouse gases and waste is monitored.
SK Hynix recently became the first domestic company to receive the 'Zero Waste Landfill Certification' for all domestic and overseas production sites, which is part of these efforts.
The Zero Waste Landfill Certification was created by the US safety standards certification body UL and quantifies the recycling rate by excluding the weight of non-recyclable waste from the total waste generated annually at a business site. Platinum (100% recycling rate), Gold (95-99%), and Silver (90-94%) grades are awarded to sites with excellent recycling rates.
SK Hynix received this certification at its production site in Chongqing, China, at the end of last year, following Icheon, Cheongju, and Wuxi in China. As of 2018, Icheon, Cheongju, Wuxi, and Chongqing recorded waste recycling rates of 93%, 94%, 96%, and 91%, respectively.
Energy usage is also monitored. Since 2012, SK Hynix has operated a company-wide energy-saving task force (TF) and has been conducting energy-saving activities. To advance this, the company obtained ISO50001 (Energy Management System) certification and has maintained this qualification to date.
It is taking the lead in managing fine dust emissions and reducing air pollutants. The company is improving the efficiency of prevention facilities to reduce ammonia emissions, a precursor of fine dust, and developing post-treatment technologies to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, implementing verification and adoption of new technologies.
To preserve aquatic ecosystems, the Icheon plant, located in a water source quality conservation area, complies with strict emission standards. It operates a dedicated wastewater treatment plant to keep hazardous substances below safe levels and monitors ecological toxicity using water fleas as indicators.
SK Hynix stated, "We are advancing environmental management technologies such as pollutant treatment technologies to reduce environmental impact and securing ecosystem health through resource circulation," adding, "We will continue to expand green management, including greenhouse gas reduction and zero waste."
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