The Company requires that all air pollutant emissions in the plants must comply with environmental regulations and promote reduction projects. The Company's regulated air pollutants include nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds. In 2023, Taiwan factory emissions decreased by 7.13% compared with 2022, particulate matter emissions decreased by 20.66%, and volatile organic compounds decreased by. 8%. The emissions of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter from overseas factories all increased compared with last year. The main reason was that the Yantai factory added a steel rolling mill. Overall, oversea plants have adjusted their product structure and Dongguan and steel cable factories have stopped production and increased CAS. Therefore, the overall emission intensity has also increased compared with 2022 due to this change in production structure.
Among the various pollutants, non-emitting volatile organic compounds are not items controlled by the competent authority and do not require numerical testing due to its industrial characteristics. In 2023, all other emission concentrations will be far below regulatory standards, with the most significant reduction in the intensity of particulate pollutants.
Note 1: The above emission data are reported to the Environmental Protection Administration in Taiwan and individual local environmental protection bureaus in Mainland China on a regular basis in compliance with relevant laws and regulations, but POPs, VOCs, and HAPs are not subject to local environmental protection laws and regulations in Mainland China.
Note 2: The above annual emission coefficient calculation is based on: Detected intensity x air flow x time.
Note 3: Taiwan sites included: Yangmei Plant, Hsinchuang Plant, Yenshui Plant, Taichung Plant.
Note 4: Overseas sites included: Shanghai Walsin, Yantai Walsin, Changshu Walsin, Jiangying Walsin (Specialty Alloy Materials), Walsin Precision, CAS
Note 1: Shanghai Walsin and Yantai Walsin are the 2 overseas plant sites facing high risks of water shortages, but zero wastewater emission is proven successful at the steelmaking and power cable plants in Mainland China as their cooling water is all recycled and reused as process water.
Our company uses rainwater recovery systems, process water recovery and cooling circulating water as water conservation measures; Tap water is the main source of water for operations. According to water meter records, the total water consumption in Taiwan plants was 13,229.46 million liters (the total water consumption per unit product is 0.018) in 2023, and the total water consumption in overseas plants (Asia) was 825.49 million liters (the total water consumption per unit product is 0.003). The total water consumption in oversea plants (Europe) was 11,356.21 million liters (the total water consumption per unit product is 0.067). Compared with the average increase of 24.98% in water consumption per unit of product in Taiwan and overseas regions (Asia) in 2022, the official commissioning of Yantai Rolling Mill has increased the water consumption per unit of plant product in overseas regions.
In 2023, the water recovery rate of Taiwan plants and overseas plants decreased by 0.7% (91.8% → 91.1%) and 5.7% (24.73% → 19.04%) compared with 2022. This was mainly due to the adjustment of product types and the introduction of new processes in oversea plants, resulting in an increase in overall water use.
Note 1: Consumption of tap water, industrial water, and groundwater is primarily based on water meter readings.
Note 2: Water is primarily recovered from manufacture processes and cooling water, and the water recovered is recorded by water meters.
Note 3: Taiwan sites included: Yangmei Plant, Hsinchuang Plant, Yenshui Plant, Taichung Plant
Note 4: Overseas sites in Asia included: Dongguan Walsin, Jiangyin Walsin (Steel Cable), Jiangyin Walsin (Specialty Alloy Materials), Shanghai Walsin, Yantai Walsin, Changshu Walsin, Walsin Precision
Note 1: Consumption of tap water, industrial water, and groundwater is primarily based on water meter readings.
Note 2: Water is primarily recovered from manufacture processes and cooling water, and the water recovered is recorded by water meters.
Note 3: Taiwan sites included: Yangmei Plant, Hsinchuang Plant, Yenshui Plant, Taichung Plant
Note 4: Overseas sites in Asia included: Dongguan Walsin, Jiangyin Walsin (Steel Cable), Jiangyin Walsin (Specialty Alloy Materials), Shanghai Walsin, Yantai Walsin, Changshu Walsin, Walsin Precision
Walsin Lihwa's wastewater management objectives include pollution and emission reduction as well as recycling. Wastewater at individual plant sites is properly processed by their wastewater treatment facilities to comply with effluent standards. In addition to self-sampling of wastewater every day, disinterested third-party inspections of wastewater quality takes place on a regular basis to prevent environmental impacts resulting from wastewater emission and ensure wastewater quality at individual plant sites to comply with local effluent standards.
The total wastewater discharge from Taiwan's plants in 2023 was 3.86x102 million liters, the total wastewater discharge from oversea plants (Asia) was 0.57x102 million liters, and the total wastewater discharge from oversea plants (Europe) was 96.77 x102 million liters. The total emissions from Taiwan's plants decreased by 6% compared with 2022.
Note 1: The emission amounts in the above table are based on water meter reading records.
Note 2: Proper wastewater treatment at the Taiwan sites helps make wastewater emission lower than effluent standards.
Note 3: With piping treatment, wastewater at the Taichung site meets effluent standards prior to emission.
Note 4: The data in the above table are the results for water taken from our sites and analyzed by quailed inspection companies.
Walsin uses 4Rs of environmental protection (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recovery) as the basis for waste generation and control. In 2023, the overall waste recycling and reuse rate of copper wire, wire and cable, and stainless steel was 95.61%, and the reuse rate of non-hazardous waste was 97.20% to 98.89%; Reuse rate of hazardous waste 55.9% to 99.55%. In addition to some of the waste produced by ourselves, all the waste is cleared, processed or reused by qualified manufacturers. The waste output of Taiwan plants and oversea plants increased by 6% compared with 2022 (mainly due to the increase of Yantai Steel Rolling Plant); The overall waste reuse rate of the Taiwan plant increased by 1.82% compared with 2022. This is mainly due to the fact that all waste acid from the Yenshui Plant was transported to the Taichung Plant for waste acid treatment, reuse and process improvement and adjustment, thereby further reduce dust collection and sludge output, and achieve the target of <1% landfill rate in Taiwan and overseas.
Walsin Lihwa shall continue its promotion of waste reduction at source as well as waste recovery and reuse, and shall also leverage its whole supply chain to decrease raw material consumption and environmental burdens resulting from production, realize the ideal of circular economy by ongoing development of innovative environmental protection technologies, strengthening business sustainability, perfecting the audit and control of whereabouts of its wastes, and ensuring waste treatment contractors comply with relevant laws and regulations.
Note 1: In addition to the hazardous waste collected from Yenshui Plants in Taiwan and Asia, which is recycled in-plant and the waste acid waste in Taichung Plant is processed and recycled by itself (total 29,744.27 tonnes), the rest of the hazardous and non-hazardous wastes were processed away from the plant.
Note 2: Total non-hazardous waste self-processed and recycled in European plants was 64.82 tonnes. The rest of the hazardous and non-hazardous wastes were processed away from the plant.
Note 1: Taiwan sites included: Yangmei Plant, Hsinchuang Plant, Yenshui Plant, Taichung Plant
Note 2: Asia sites included: Jiangying Walsin (Specialty Alloy Materials), Shanghai Walsin, Yantai Walsin, Changshu Walsin, Walsin Precision
Note 3: Europe site: Cogne Acciai Speciali (CAS)