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About Panasonic

History of Environmental Activities

Last Update: Aug 6, 2008
Era year Matsushita Group World Japan

1970s
1967
  • Basic Law for Environmental Pollution Control enacted
1968
  • Air Pollution Control Law enacted
1970
  • Pollution Survey Committee established
  • Water Pollution Control Law enacted
  • Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law enacted
1971
  • Environment Agency established
1972
  • Environmental Management Office established
  • U.N. Conference on Human Environment held in Stockholm (Declaration of Human Environmen adopted)
1973
  • First oil shock occurred
1975
  • Environmental Management Regulations enacted
1979
  • Second oil shock occurred
  • Energy Conservation Law enacted

1980s
1985
  • Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer adopted
1987
  • Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer adopted
  • World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission) advocated the concept of sustainable development
1988
  • CFC-reduction Committee established
  • Ozone Layer Protection Law enacted
1989
  • Environmental Protection Promotion Office established

1990s
1991
  • Matsushita Environmental Charter (Environmental Statement and Code of Conduct) enacted
  • Matsushita Product Assessment adopted and implemented
  • Keidanren Global Environment Charter enacted by Japan Federation of Economic Organizations
  • Law for Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources enacted
1992
  • Environmental Policy Committee established
  • The Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Agenda21and Rio Declaration on Environment and Development adopted
  • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted
1993
  • Matsushita Environmental Voluntary Plan (Year 2000 targets) adopted
  • Matsushita Group's global environmental internal audits launched
  • The Basic Environment Law enacted
1995
  • Acquired Environmental Management System Certification at AV Kadoma Site (first in the Matsushita Group)
  • First Conference of Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP1) held in Berlin
  • Containers and Packaging Recycling Law enacted
1996
  • ISO 14001 International Standard on Environmental Management Systems launched
1997
  • Corporate Environmental Affairs Division (CEAD) established
  • Environmental Conference established (held semi-annually)
  • COP3 held in Kyotoand adopted the KyotoProtocol
  • Keidanren Appeal on the Environment announced by Japan Federation of Economic Organization
1998
  • Love the Earth Citizens' Campaign commenced
  • Recycling Business Promotion Office established
  • First environmental report (1997) published
  • Home Appliance Recycling Law enacted (took effect in2001)
  • Law Concerning the Promotion of the Measures to Cope with Global Warming enacted
  • Energy Conservation Law revised: Top Runner Approach introduced
1999
  • Green Procurement launched
  • Chemical Substances Management Rank Guidelines established
  • Acquired ISO14001 Certification in all manufacturing business unit
  • PRTR (Pollutant Release and Transfer Register) Law enacted

2000s
2000
  • Lead-free Solder Project commenced
  • Held first environmental exhibition for general public in Osaka
  • Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) issued The Sustainability Reporting Guidelines
  • Basic Law for Establishing the Recycling-based Society enacted
  • Law for Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources enacted
2001
  • Environmental Vision and Green Plan 2010 adopted
  • Held Environmental Forum in Tokyo and Freiburg,Germany
  • Matsushita Eco Technology Center launched
  • Reached final agreement on the actual rules of Kyoto Protocol in COP7 held in Marrakesh
  • Reorganized into the Ministry of the Environment
  • Law Concerning Special Measures against PCBs enactedecial Measures against PCBs enacted
2002
  • Panasonic Center Tokyo opened
  • Johannesburg Summit (Rio+10) held
  • Kyoto Protocol ratified
  • Vehicle Recycling Law enacted
  • Law for Countermeasures against Soil Pollution enactegainst PCBs enacted
2003
  • Declared 'Coexistence with the Global Environment' as one of the twin business visions
  • Factor X advocated as an indicator for Creating Value for a New Lifestyle
  • Completely introduced lead-free soldering globally
  • Super GP Accreditation System launched
  • Achieved zero waste emissions in Japanese manufacturing business sites (ongoing program)
  • Held Environmental Forum in Tokyo
  • EU's WEEE Directive was promulgated
2004
  • Environmental Vision and Green Plan 2010 revised
  • PCB Management Office established
  • Superior GP Accreditation System launched
  • Prohibited manufacturing and use of products containing asbestos in principle
2005
  • Participated in Expo 2005 Aichi, Japan as an official sponsor
  • Green Plan 2010 revised
  • Continued with the nationwide Lights-out Campaign
  • 3R Eco Project launched
  • Completed the elimination of specified substances (6 substances)in products
  • Matsushita Group's Green Logistics Policy established
  • CF Accreditation System introduced
  • Eco & Ud HOUSE opened
  • Installed the first commercial household fuel cell cogeneration system in the new official residence of the Japanese Prime Minister
  • Won the first place in Nikkei Environmental Management Survey
  • Kyoto Protocol entered into force
  • Expo 2005 Aichi, Japan held
  • National campaign against global warming "Team -6%" launched
  • Marking for the presence of the specified chemical substances for electrical and electronic equipment (J-Moss) established
2006
  • Environmental specialist position established
  • ET Manifest introduced into all Panasonic's manufacturing sites in Japan
  • Expanded the scope of CF Accreditation System globally
  • Realized lead-free plasma display panels and introduced them to the market
  • Full-fledge introduction of biodiesel fuel in logistics
  • Management Methods for Controlling Pollution by Electronic Information Products (Chinese version of RoHS) enacted
  • Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive took effect in EU
  • Relief Law for Asbestos Victims enacted
  • Energy Conservation Law revised: new cargo owner obligations, widened product scope of its application, and top runner standard revision
2007
  • Energy conservation activities at our factories in Malaysia approved as CDM project by the U.N.
  • A new environmental mark introduced
  • Panasonic Center Beijing opened
  • Environmentak Forum in China held
  • ‘Declaration of Becoming an Environment ally Contributing Compnay in China’ announced
  • Panasonic ‘eco ideas’ Strategy announced
  • The Fourth Assessment Report of the Inter government
  • Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals entered into force in EU
  • Framework for CO2 reduction agreed at Heiligendamm Summit (G8)
  • The Bali Road Map for the post Kyoto Protocol agreed at COP13
2008
  • G20 (conference of key countries' environmental and energy ministers) held

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