Issue Date: July 31, 2024
 

Waste Management

Coretronic’s waste generated from operating activities is mainly non-hazardous waste. However, other flammable mixtures and electronic components arising from research and experimental processes are classified as hazardous industrial waste, which are incinerated and physically treated. We manage hazardous industrial waste through output control and categorization of scrap materials to reduce the generation of hazardous industrial waste. We also require suppliers to jointly implement waste flow control measures, thus fulfilling our commitment to an environmentally friendly approach.
The plants in Taiwan, Wujiang, and Coretronic Projection (Kunshan)* have introduced and obtained ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification. Through the lens of a product's life cycle, they examine the detailed processes of waste generation, removal, treatment, and recycling at different stages. We put waste reduction strategies into action through system management, and formulate an audit plan to prevent unlawful activities or environmental risks brought on by improper handling. In 2023, Taiwan plants continuously strengthened its waste management, implemented classification control, and reused packaging materials. The waste generation intensity has decreased by 6% compared to 2022 and 12% compared to 2021, achieving the short-term target. The China plants actively promote measures for reducing domestic waste, systematically record waste data, regularly review the results, and obtain Green Factory Certification. The waste generation intensity has decreased by 13% compared to 2022 and 9% compared to 2021, achieving the short-term target.
 

Waste Management Strategies

  • Strengthen waste management and increase resource recycling rate
  • Design waste reduction and material reduction products to minimize waste generation
  • Prioritize the use of recycled materials to reduce waste and implement circular utilization
  • Commission legal contractors to handle waste disposal
     


Waste Generation Status

Coretronic is fully committed to the three principles of waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. By incorporating a circular economy into product manufacturing and strengthening measures such as source reduction and pollution prevention, we continuously optimize waste management performance.
We categorize waste based on its environmental impact into hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Non-hazardous waste is further divided into household, recyclable, reusable, and general industrial waste, which are managed in five categories according to their treatment methods. Apart from general and recyclable waste, other waste is generated from manufacturing processes. In 2023, the waste output of Taiwan plants was 380.6 tons, of which hazardous waste accounted for 1%, non-hazardous directly disposed waste accounted for 45%, and non-hazardous recycled waste accounted for 54%. China plants produced a total of 4,099.8 tons of waste, of which hazardous waste accounted for 1%, non-hazardous directly disposed waste accounted for 13%, and non-hazardous recycled waste accounted for 86%.


1：Refers to mercury lamps, empty bottles, waste liquids, electronic waste, etc., which are identified as hazardous waste by local environmental authorities during the disposal stage. They are collected and classified according to their hazardous characteristics, and then handed over to qualified disposal companies for processing.
2: Refers to household garbage, unclassified combustible general industrial waste, waste plastics, wastepaper, waste metals, and publicly announced recyclable and reusable waste. Recyclable and reusable waste is collected by local qualified recycling companies for recycling and reuse. Other waste is disposed of by qualified cleaning companies and transported to processing plants according to waste disposal methods.
3: Coverage of revenue: Taiwan plants including Coretronic, Young Green Energy, uCare Medical Electronics, Coretronic Intelligent Cloud Service, Coretronic Intelligent Robotics, Innospectra, Coretronic MEMS, Coretronic Reality, Coretronic Intelligent Logistic Solutions; China plants including Coretronic Display (Suzhou), Coretronic Optotech (Suzhou), Coretronic Optics (Suzhou), Coretronic Projection (Kunshan), Coretronic Optics (Kunshan).
4: All generated waste is transported by qualified disposal companies to qualified processing plants for disposal, and there is no transfer of disposal.
5: The data on waste generation, transfer, and disposal comes from the Industrial Waste Report and Management Information System of the Environmental Protection Administration and the "One Enterprise, One File" Management System for Pollution Sources in Jiangsu Province. The data on recycling and reuse comes from internal records and accounting statements of the plants

 
 

Waste Reduction Strategy

  • Packaging Material Reuse
    In 2023, Coretronic implemented 6 packaging material recycling measures with a total recycling rate of 91%. The recycling results were counted by pieces, with 91% for trays, 66% for pallets, 70% for plastic pads, and 98% for paper boxes. A total of 374 tons of packaging materials were recycled and reused, reducing 770 tonCO2e and saving NT$110,000 in the cost of purchasing new wooden pallets and waste disposal fees (according to the Low Carbon Sustainable Home website, each ton of waste generates 2.06 tonCO2e).
  • Circular Economy Alliance
    - Reuse of wooden pallet prototypes: Since 2017, Coretronic has cooperated with local transportation suppliers for 7 consecutive years to recycle and reuse pallet prototypes for logistics transportation. From 2017 to 2023, a total of 493 tons of wooden pallets were recycled, reducing 1,016 tonCO2e and saving NT$2.25 million in the cost of purchasing new pallets and waste disposal fees.
    - Trays recycling and reproducing: The Tainan Plant 1 promoted tray recycling and reproducing. From 2021 to 2023, a total of 1.7 tons of trays were recycled, reducing 3.5 tonCO2e.
  • Lightweight Chemical Containers
    Since 2022, the Kunshan plants has replaced the ethanol containers with chemical products, changing from 500ml glass bottles to 2.5L plastic barrels. Using 1L of ethanol is equivalent to reducing 0.768kg of hazardous industrial waste generation. From 2022 to 2023, a total of 3.7 tons of waste and 1.1 tonCO2e were reduced, and RMB 14,779 (approximately NT$64,000) in waste disposal fees were saved (according to the Carbon Footprint Information Platform website, the disposal of one ton of hazardous industrial waste by landfill produces 0.3 tonCO2e).
  • Chemical Reduction
    The Wujiang plants promoted green factories by implementing automated assembly equipment for production, reducing the purchase of isopropanol for cleaning and the containers for storing isopropanol. In 2023, a total of 0.7 tons of waste output and 0.2 tonCO2e were reduced, saving RMB 3,430 (approximately NT$15,000) in waste disposal fees.
  • End-of-Product Treatment Tracking
    To ensure that reused products are handled legally, Coretronic has established clear waste management operating procedures and conducts annual on-site audits of waste disposal companies' compliance with regulations and their downstream processing capabilities. If non-compliance is found, guidance and follow-up improvements are provided, and if the issues persist, the cleaning contract will be terminated to ensure proper and legal waste disposal. In 2023, a total of 38 audits were scheduled and completed for companies involved in wooden pallet reuse, industrial waste removal, waste electronic component disposal, and hazardous industrial waste treatment, with a 100% audit completion rate and no irregularities found.
     
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