Adopt energy conservation and waste reduction
Environmental Protection and Improvement
The total waste disposal cost in 2020 (excluding domestic waste) was approximately NT$830,000, and due to an increase in production capacity, the waste disposal cost in 2021 increased by approximately NT$160,000 compared to 2020 .
Energy-Saving Accomplishment
The annual energy consumption of YOKE in 2021 is converted into heat energy of 37,123.85 GJ (109 joules), an increase of 3,988 GJ compared to 2020. The increase in orders resulted in higher process electricity efficiency, gas and diesel usage than in 2020, but still a slight improvement compared to 2018.
In 2021, we continued to grade existing equipment to variable frequency conversion equipment and introduced energy-efficient equipment and LED lamps. Based on the electricity saved from equipment replacement, we have managed to save approximately 209,700 kWh of energy, which translates to 105,245 Kg CO2e when converted to its greenhouse gases equivalent (calculated based on the carbon emission coefficient of 0.502 CO2e/kWH of power for public electricity sales in 2020 as published by the Energy Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Sep 2021). This also meant that YOKE has successfully achieved the target of saving 1% electricity each year as spelled out by the Ministry of Economic Affairs consecutively for the past 5 years.
In 2021, we will continue to optimize energy efficiency by improving production efficiency. Forging molds are heated by gas. By adding a medium pressure regulator, the gas output is stabilized and excessive gas consumption is reduced. The actual average monthly usage was reduced by about 22% after the improvement. The heat treatment salt bath process has been improved by replacing the 24-hour timer with a weekly electronic timer to save electricity generated by heating the empty furnace on the two days of the weekend, saving approximately 153,754 kWh a year.
| Energy-saving equipment replacement project for 2021 | Yearly estimated power saving | Conversion to GHG emission reduction(Kg CO2e) |
|---|---|---|
| Salt bath thermal treatment furnace timer improvement | 153,754 | 77,185 |
| Plastic injection molding machine VR450 (servo energy-saving type) procurement | 16,896 | 8,482 |
| Salt bath washing tank motor with pre-set inverter | 39,000 | 19,578 |
| Total power savings | 209,650 | 105,245 |
Water Management
YOKE buys its water from Taiwan Water Company, and is sourced from the Shigang Reservoir at the downstream of Dajia River. The total water consumption in 2021 was 19.44 million liters (ML), a decrease of 9.58 ML compared to 2020. The discharge of process wastewater is 100% processed by the wastewater treatment plant in Taichung Industrial Park (no process water is used in the Factory 3 located in Chuan Hsing Industrial Park) for subsequent disposal of wastewater.
The Taichung Industrial Park has announced the "Table of the Intake Limits and National Wastewater Discharge Standards of Taichung Industrial Park Sewage Treatment Plant" (https://bit.ly/3bUVH5m). YOKE shall discharge wastewater in accordance with the regulated discharge standards, and the water quality shall be tested by the wastewater plant for sampling, including water temperature, pH, COD and SS. The total wastewater discharged in 2021 was 16.20 ML, all of which met the discharge control standards.
Since the water consumption used by YOKE is lower than that of general industry, the main reasons for water loss are evaporation from cooling water towers, evaporation from salt baths and regular water changes. Taichung is not a water stress area and has no water-related impacts. However, due to climate change, the rainfall in the central Taiwan will drop sharply in 2021, so YOKE is taking water conservation measures and contingency plans for water storage and replenishment in advance. In response to the impact of climate change, YOKE will implement water saving measures in cooling towers, adjust the frequency of water change in salt bath furnace process, and watering frequency in gardening in order to cope with the tight water situation.
| Inspection item | pH value | COD | SS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulatory standards | 5~9 | 480 | 320 |
| Lowest inspection value | 7.3 | 8.7 | 2.5 |
| Highest inspection value | 8.4 | 422 | 189 |
Note: The actual values of each test item have been derived from the actual emission data from each factory, with both the highest and lowest values disclosed. This accounts for the significant discrepancies in the data.
Waste management
The industrial wastes produced by YOKE in the manufacturing process are not hazardous wastes, and there are 3 types of direct disposal performed by outsourced vendors in 2021, and the end use of outsourcing is other treatment (physical treatment). The waste generated by YOKE will not cause significant impact to the environment. All wastes are removed through qualified vendors and checked through on-site or internal forms to confirm that the wastes are properly handled by the disposal operators to ensure that the wastes generated by YOKE will not cause significant impact on the environment. There are five types of recyclable waste, namely forged steel, steel scrap, aluminum, aluminum scrap and plastic, all of which are disposed of by recycling. In 2021, a total of 65.62 tons will be directly disposed of, and the disposal method will be in accordance with the EPA's regulations, an increase of 13.65 tons compared to 2020, mainly due to the increase in production.
| Industrial waste category and code | Primary component |
|---|---|
| D-1099 | Dust particle |
| D-1799 | Scrapped oil mixtures |
| D-2499 | Furnace slag, oxide scale, welding dreg |
| Disposal type | Recycling | Direct disposal |
|---|---|---|
| Disposal method | Recycled use | Other disposal operations |
| 2020 | 435.90 tons | 51.97 tons |
| 2021 | 858.50 tons | 65.62 tons |
In addition, the promotion of 6S and CIT projects that went on over the years has been verified by examining the composition of scrap materials collected. We found waste iron from forging and waste iron chips to make up the bulk of the waste scrap iron. In 2021, the order rate increased and the forging and processing capacity were also increased. By running at full capacity to meet the urgent orders, the volume of waste iron from forging as well as waste iron chips increased, and the output of "forging scrap iron kg/NT$ million in revenue" also increased.
