Environmental Issues and Sustainable Initiatives at Onahama Smelter - December 6, 2023

The Onahama Smelter & Refinery, operated by Mitsubishi Materials in Fukushima Prefecture, is a copper smelting facility that has recently drawn attention for its environmental impact. While the smelter is working on initiatives to reduce the environmental burden associated with copper production, several environmental concerns remain.

First, there is a risk that wastewater containing heavy metals and other hazardous substances generated during the smelting process at the Onahama Smelter could adversely affect the surrounding water quality and soil. Particularly, the wastewater produced during copper extraction from ore could flow into rivers and groundwater, increasing the risk to local ecosystems and public health. In response, Mitsubishi Materials has been improving wastewater treatment facilities and advancing soil remediation projects, but concerns from the local community persist.

In addition, in 2023, Mitsubishi Materials announced plans to build a pilot plant at this smelter for developing recycling technology for lithium-ion batteries. This technological development aims to efficiently recover and refine rare metals such as lithium and cobalt from discarded batteries, further reducing the environmental burden in the future.

Furthermore, Mitsubishi Materials plans to achieve an E-Scrap processing capacity of 200,000 tons by 2031, focusing on strengthening its recycling business. These efforts are part of a broader initiative to build a recycling-oriented society and operate the business in an environmentally conscious manner.