Efforts in Resource Recycling

The Daigas Group is thoroughly implementing the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), cutting its resource consumption and waste generation, and endeavoring to reuse and recycle used resources in its efforts to help create a recycling-oriented society. We are recycling resources throughout our business activity value chain by such means as striving for zero emissions at LNG terminals, reusing gas meters, recycling gas pipe materials, reusing excavated soil from gas pipe installation, and recycling used gas equipment.

The final disposal rate of industrial waste^* at LNG terminals in FY2022 was 0.1% (amount generated: 1,244 tons; amount of final disposal: 1.5 tons). At business locations other than LNG terminals, the final disposal rate was 0.5% (amount generated: 1,304 tons; amount of final disposal: 6.3 tons). Regarding the general waste, the final disposal rate was 2.3% (amount generated: 460 tons; amount of final disposal: 10.6 tons). All the FY2022 targets were achieved.

The Daigas Group works to reduce the amount of excavated soil and waste asphalt generated as a result of gas pipe installation, which contributes to reduce impact on the ecosystem. Ways to achieve this include the Vermeer method, which requires soil excavation of only two points, and the shallow pipe installation method. In FY2022 these methods allowed us to reduce the amount of excavated soil generated by approx. 202,000 tons compared to what would have been generated using conventional methods. Our soil and asphalt recycling system promotes the reuse of waste asphalt and excavated soil as either recycled asphalt, regenerated roadbed material, or improved soil. These efforts allowed us to reuse 95% of material excavated during gas pipeline construction in FY2022 and send to final disposal approx. 1,000 tons.

The method of replacing pipes without excavation is a method of burying polyethylene (PE) pipes in which only each end of the construction stretch is excavated.
Not only does this these methods result in less excavated soil, it they also reduces the impediment of traffic around the construction site.

The Vermeer method is a method to lay polyethylene (PE) pipes over long distances, with excavating from only both end points of the pipe.
First, jets of muddy water are sprayed from the tip of the drill to make it easy to drill and, while confirming from the ground above the tip of the drill, a steel rod is inserted into the ground. After reaching the correct position, the rod is connected to polyethylene (PE) pipes and then pulled back up, pulling the polyethylene (PE) pipes with it.

Shallow pipe installation method, authorized in 1999, allows the laying of shallower pipelines than before.
As a result, excavation widths became narrower and it became possible to greatly reduce the amount of excavated soil generated when laying gas pipes and restored afterward, mitigating environmental impacts.

The polyethylene (PE) pipes waste material generated at work sites is mainly used as covers to protect gas pipes and as post markers to indicate the location of supply pipes. In FY2022, 125 tons of polyethylene (PE) pipe waste was generated and all was reused. Metal pipes, such as steel and cast-iron pipes, are sold to electric furnace manufacturers and recycling companies, who use them as raw materials for products.

The Daigas Group has developed a unique “e-cycle” system to expedite waste disposal through the issuance of a manifest certifying each disposal process. Under the system, gas appliance sales agents, waste shipping firms, and disposal companies are connected to each other via the Internet. After the gas equipment collected by the sales agents is handled appropriately by the shipping firms and the disposal companies, a manifest certifying each process of disposal is issued. The general public can expeditiously confirm the disposal through the manifest.
The manifest is electronically issued, as the Daigas Group's e-cycle system is connected to the Japan Industrial Waste Information Center (JWNET) through the EDI.^*

The Daigas Group appropriately disposes of gas air conditioners for household use and clothes dryers, covered by the Home Appliance Recycling Law, in line with the law.
In FY2023, about 111 tons of gas air conditioners for household use were collected, and 91% of them were recycled, higher than the minimum mandatory recycling rate of 80%. The amount of clothes dryers collected during the same year came to about 19 tons, 90% of which was recycled, far above the mandatory recycling rate of 82%.

To measure the amount of gas used by customers, Osaka Gas has installed approximately 7.4 million gas meters. Under the Japanese Measurement Law, these devices must be replaced every 10 years.^*1
After 10 years in use, gas meters are repaired (taken apart, inspected, and fixed) to make them perform as well as new ones. They are then installed at customer sites. In the past, this type of repair was conducted a third time to give the gas meters a total lifespan of 40 years. After conducting evaluations including durability tests^*2 jointly with the gas meter manufacturers, we came to a decision that these gas meters can be used another 20 years if twice of additional repairs are conducted. Based on the result, the Company has decided to increase the maintenance of gas meters by two times since FY2010, and to use them for 60 years.
As a component material, around 2 kg^*3 of aluminum is used in each gas meter body. Reusing gas meter reduce 80%^*4 of CO2 emissions, that includes CO2 emission that would have been emitted in the process of casting a new gas meter body, giving a cumulative total reduction of 85,000 tons over the next 20 years, compared with producing new meters.

More than half of used alarms and machine-wrapping styrene foam had been incinerated or put into landfill in the past. However, we have been recycling all of them since FY2013 by converting them into so-called RPF, or refuse paper & plastic fuel.
And since November 2014, Osaka Gas has been reclaiming rare metals contained in the substrates of alarm devices and recycling plastics used in the devices.

In accordance with our “Green Purchasing Policy” (formulated in 2000 and revised in 2022), Osaka Gas has been cooperating with business partners in “Green Purchasing” that prioritizes the procurement of eco-friendly products and installation contracts. Osaka Gas is reducing the amount of material used for gas appliances packaging. For “Eco-Jozu” high-efficiency water heaters, we introduced returnable packaging that can be reused about 10 times and expanded its use in FY2013. In FY2022, the number of units shipped with returnable packaging (15,552 units) was about 38% of all “Eco-Jozu” shipments.

The Daigas Group promotes resource recycling efforts through the promotion of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) plus renewable with the aim of creating a recycling-oriented society.
With regard to plastic resources, we are actively implementing material recycling in our business supply chain, including 100% recycling of waste polyethylene (PE) pipes, which are gas pipe materials, and recycling of resin used for gas alarms.
We will also continue our efforts to minimize the amount of landfill waste and other waste finally disposed of by effectively utilizing waste from other plastic products as thermal energy by, for example, converting it into refuse paper & plastic fuel (RPF).