|ESG

SDGs


Material Topics
Air Pollution Control and Amount of Pollutant Emission
In order to implement pollution control, the best process technology and air pollution control facilities are adopted. During the factory construction stage, air pollution control facilities are designed using the Best Available Technology and Control Technology (BACT); During the production and operational stages, the optimal air pollution control equipment is used to reduce exhaust emissions.

▪Air Emission Intensity Target Value

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.

▪Emission intensity at Taiwan sites and prescribed standard value

▪Emission intensity at overseas sites and prescribed standard value

▪Total amount of waste exhaust and emission intensity at Taiwan Sites

▪Total amount of waste exhaust and emission intensity at Overseas Sites

▪Emissions and intensity of volatile organic compounds at Taiwan Sites

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


Material Topics
Water Resources Utilization and Wastewater Treatment
Water Source and Water Conservation
Walsin is committed to the proper management and recycling optimization of "water resources", conducts water resource risk impact analysis and continuous operation planning. We also established a management model of "source management", "source reduction" and "recycling" to ensure the continued operation of the company's water system and formulate a water shortage crisis response mechanism in advance. Through the Safety and Environmental Database-Water Resources Data Platform, the water balance of each plant is analyzed and compared with historical data during the same period for management and improvement. In response to the risk of water scarcity, we have implemented zero-discharge wastewater in overseas high-risk factories (Shanghai Walsin and Yantai Walsin) to increase the reuse of reclaimed water. We are also seeking to cooperate with local governments to connect recycled water from the Water Resources Regeneration Center to the plant for use. The water consumption rate increased by 1% in 2023, mainly due to the formal operation of the Yantai Steel Rolling Mill, resulting in an increase in overall water consumption.

▪Major Water Resource Risks at Taiwan Plants

Note: According to WRI assessment, the plants in Taiwan have a low risk of water shortages, and there is no significant impact on local water resources, suppliers, or relevant stakeholders if water intake is lower than 5% of the total intake in an area.

▪Major Water Resource Risks at Overseas Plants

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.

Note 2: Water risk assessment by the Water Resource Institute's Aqueduct Tool:
http://www.wri.org/our-work/project/aqueduct/aqueduct-atlas

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: The quality of water purchased from external sources is fresh water (≤1,000 mg/L total dissolved solids)

▪Water Use and Recovery

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

▪Amount of Purchased Water Intake and Water Intake Intensity

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

Wastewater Treatment

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.

▪Wastewater Emission Intensity in Taiwan

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.

▪Wastewater Emission Intensity

▪Total Water Intake and Emission

▪Cogne Acciai Speciali (CAS)

Note 1: Taiwan sites included: Yangmei Plant, Hsinchuang Plant, Yenshui Plant, Taichung Plant; Asia sites included: Dongguan Walsin, Jiangying Walsin (Specialty Alloy Materials), Shanghai Walsin, Yantai Walsin, Changshu Walsin, Walsin Precision; Europe site: Cogne Acciai Speciali (CAS)
Note 2: Water consumption = Water intake - Water emission

Material Topics
Waste and Resource Recycle

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.

▪Waste Management Goals

Waste Disposal

▪Waste Output and Amount of Waste Processed

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.

▪Total Amount of Wastes

▪Recovery

▪Landfill

▪Incineration

▪Other Waste Processing Methods

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)


Material Topics
Compliance with Environmental Regulations
There were no major environmental fines (more than NT$100,000) in 2023; There has been no pollution leakage that caused the company to suspend production or resident protests around the plant; There was no leakage of sewage or waste.
Industry-Academia Research Resource Utilization of Stainless Steel Steelmaking Furnace Ballast
In recent years, Walsin has continued to invest in industry-academia research projects on the resource utilization of oxidized ballast and reduced ballast in stainless steel steelmaking, jointly promoting the value enhancement of furnace ballast resources and rebuilding the economic cycle industry chain project: