The Environment

Products and Services

KPI

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Item FY 2020 results FY 2021 results
Ratio of environmentally friendly products to all products handled (Consolidated) 100.0% (Consolidated) 100.0%
Reuse and recycling ratios for used products and packaging materials (Consolidated)
Used products
 Tires 70%
 MB 77%
Packaging materials 83%
(Consolidated)
Used products
 Tires 67%
 MB 85%
Packaging materials 84%

Responsible Departments

Product development and planning division

Stance and Target

Why is “Environmentally Friendly Products” a critical issue to be addressed?
Explanation of the reason and background

LCA (life cycle assessment) refers to the method used to understand the environmental load (CO2 emissions) in numerical data of each stage of the product lifecycle from production to disposal. In the case of tires, which are the core products of the Yokohama Rubber Group, 80–90% of CO2 emissions take place during the usage period of the life cycle. For this reason, the Yokohama Rubber Group is focusing on coming up with environmentally friendly products to realize low fuel consumption.

Policies and stance relating to products and services

In accordance with the basic stance set forth in the Yokohama Rubber Basic Environmental Policy, Yokohama Rubber Environmental Policy, and Yokohama Rubber Group Action Guidelines, the Yokohama Rubber Group will work to prevent global warming, effectively use resources, and consider and improve chemical substance management in order to minimize the burden of products and services provided by the Yokohama Rubber Group on the environment. In addition, we will provide environmentally friendly products with improved safety and quality (performance) to customers.

Vision

We aim to make 100% of product sold environment friendly products, and improve environmental performance based on social demands.

Measures for vision achievement

In order to become a top-level environment friendly company, we aim to make all products environment friendly products.
We will not only reduce emissions of greenhouse gases through products, but also work to ensure safety and comfort through means such as resource recycling, resource savings, and the reduction of chemical substances contained in our environment friendly products. For new products, because we conduct environmental assessments at the beginning of the development process and have a framework under which development is not allowed if products do not clear our Environmentally Friendly Products Regulations*, all new products that are released are environmentally friendly products.
  • Environmentally Friendly Products Regulations:
    The Yokohama Rubber Group defines environmentally friendly products as newly developed products for which the average score of the four items of global warming prevention, resource recycling, resource conservation, and safety and comfort exceeds 5%, and for which the score for any of these items has not deteriorated.

<Four Pillars of Environmental Function and Environmental Performance Evaluation Index>

Review of FY 2021 Activities

Results for the environmental contribution ratio (overall)

The ratio of environmentally friendly products in the Yokohama Rubber Group has remained at 100.0% since 2017.
The ratio of fuel-efficient tires sold in fiscal 2021 was 45.1%.
A performance assessment was not conducted for the degree of environmental contribution and environmental impact in the development of environmentally friendly products.
In terms of "GHG emissions at the product use stage" (Scope 3), which are indirectly emitted in the supply chain, we calculate that the reduction in emissions will be approximately 1,832 thousand t-CO2.

Introduction of Initiatives

High-pressure Hydrogen Gas Hoses (ibar HG82)

For hydrogen infrastructure to be successfully deployed in society, the availability of durable, lightweight, flexible hoses that can withstand high pressures is an important prerequisite.
Yokohama Rubber has developed a new hose specification that features a reinforced hybrid hose structure utilizing PBO fiber (Polybenzoxazole fiber) and steel wire, and has launched new hose products that meet the requirements outlined above.

Fuel-efficient Tires (BluEarth GT AE51)

Fuel efficiency has been further improved while ensuring the excellent wet grip performance well-established with our previous product (BluEarth-A). In the domestic labeling system, the wet grip performance has received the highest grade of “a” for all sizes. In terms of rolling resistance performance, it has acquired “AA” for 31 sizes and “A” for 26 sizes.

iceGUARD studless G075 SUV tires

With the iceGUARD series basic concepts of being effective on icy surfaces, being long-lasting and improving fuel consumption, low heat tread rubber using low fuel consumption BluEarth studless tire technology was adopted to reduce energy loss due to heat generation and reduce rolling resistance by 5%. By optimizing the tread layout using Yokohama Rubber's original simulation technology, pattern noise has been reduced by 28% (compared with noise energy reduction rate) to improve quietness.

ECOTEX energy-saving conveyor belt

We delivered the ECOTEX energy-saving conveyor belt to the KLT line of Taiheiyo Cement Corporation, the longest conveyor line in Japan (about 14 km). In addition to its excellent durability, ECOTEX contributes to reducing the energy consumption of conveyors by optimizing the viscoelasticity of the bottom cover rubber in contact with the roller, and reducing the resistance of the roller running over. The KLT line has achieved a significant reduction in energy consumption of more than 50% (according to our research) after the delivery compared to our conventional products.
Taiheiyo Cement Corporation was also awarded the Limestone Association of Japan’s Best Achievement Award at the 77th Limestone Mining Convention because of this replacement.

Car air conditioner hoses that support next-generation coolant

We have developed car air conditioner hoses that support HFO-1234yf, which is widely used as a next-generation coolant in car air conditioners for car manufacturers in North America. The newly developed high-pressure and low-pressure hoses have already been adopted. Currently, HFC-134a, which is widely used as a coolant for car air conditioners, has a high GWP of 1,430, but the GWP of HFO-1234yf is limited to 4, and there is a movement to promote switching in order to prevent global warming. However, HFO-1234yf gradually decomposes over long-term use and has acid-generating properties, so the resin of hoses with a resin layer on the innermost surface corrodes. There are methods of improving the resin material and preventing contact between the resin and the coolant. To meet the demands of car manufacturers in North America, a hose structure with a rubber layer on the inner surface of the resin layer was adopted, and by developing an internal rubber with improved adhesion, we have developed a car air conditioner hose that prevents direct contact between the coolant and resin, preventing resin corrosion and coolant leakage.

IHX that improves cooling efficiency of car air conditioners

We have developed a double-tube IHX*1 that improves the cooling efficiency of car air conditioning systems.
Currently, HFC-134a, which is widely used as a coolant in car air conditioners, has a high GWP*2 of 1,430, so the switch to HFO-1234yf (GWP = 4) with a low coefficient is progressing to prevent global warming. On the other hand, while the cooling efficiency of HFO-1234yf is lower than for HFC-134a, the developed double-tube internal heat exchanger can cover this drop in cooling efficiency. With a double-tube structure that integrates a part of two coolant tubes that were conventionally configured separately and using the temperature difference between the high-temperature and low-temperature coolants to exchange internal heat, it improves the cooling efficiency of the entire air conditioning system (Fig. 1). In addition, it was necessary to design the pipes according to the layout of the engine room since the car air conditioning system is piped in a narrow space there, but the piping could be designed freely as with conventional air conditioning by arranging the fins inside (Fig. 2) since the coolant flow path is not crushed even if it is bent. The newly developed double-tube internal heat exchanger has already been adopted.
  • 1:IHX=Internal Heat Exchanger
  • 2:GWP=Global Warming Potential
(Fig. 1) Car air conditioning system using double-tube internal heat exchanger
(Fig. 2) Cross section of pipe with finned double-tube structure

BluEarth-air EF21 light weight fuel-efficient tires

We have developed BluEarth-air EF21, an advanced technology concept tire that aims to contribute to the environment through the latest lightweight design.
BluEarth-air EF21 adopts Yokohama's latest lightweight design technology with the aim of contributing to weight reduction of the entire vehicle to improve fuel efficiency and contributing to the environment through reducing used resources. We achieved a lightweight, thin and highly rigid structure with a weight reduction of about 25% in mass. A newly developed exclusive compound and the latest rubber mixing technology A.R.T. Mixing were also adopted. In the domestic tire labeling system, the rolling resistance performance has received the highest grade of "AAA" and wet grip performance has received "a", meaning it exhibits excellent fuel efficiency and wet performance.
BluEarth-air EF21 was developed in commemoration of the company’s 100th anniversary and only 100 were sold in December 2017.
This performance has been inherited by the BluEarth-1 EF20.

Issues and Future
Improvement Measures

One issue is the handling of old products that are difficult to replace with new products due to promises made to customers.
For other products, at the end of fiscal year 2017, we achieved 100% environmentally friendly products for all products sold in Japan and overseas. In the future, we will maintain 100% environmentally friendly product production and enhance activities to further improve the environment.