Oki's Semiconductor R&D Bases Accomplish Zero Emissions - All Oki Semiconductor Facilities in Japan Have Now Achieved Zero Emissions -

Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. today announced that Oki group's major semiconductor-related facilities in Hachioji, Japan achieved zero emissions at the end of the first quarter of this fiscal year. Zero emissions are defined by the Oki group as a recycling rate of more than 99% for general and industrial wastes. Oki group achieved zero emissions in the semiconductor manufacturing field in the last fiscal year, and by adding these bases of R&D and test of LSIs, it has achieved zero emissions group-wide in its entire Japan based semiconductor businesses.

Tokyo, Japan, August 14, 2002 -- Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. (TSE: 6703) today announced that Oki group's major semiconductor-related facilities in Hachioji, Japan achieved zero emissions at the end of the first quarter of this fiscal year. Zero emissions are defined by the Oki group as a recycling rate of more than 99% for general and industrial wastes. Oki group achieved zero emissions in the semiconductor manufacturing field in the last fiscal year, and by adding these bases of R&D and test of LSIs, it has achieved zero emissions group-wide in its entire Japan based semiconductor businesses.

"The Oki group is committed to providing environment-friendly businesses as a core management policy. Wherever Oki does business, it will take the initiative to develop innovative responses to environmental issues," said Masayoshi Ino, Executive Vice President at Oki Electric, responsible for Oki group's environmental protection strategies.

Oki has been developing its environmental protection programs since 1993. As part of its "Oki Eco Plan 21," defined in the fiscal year ending March 2002, the company set a goal of zero emissions at its major manufacturing plants, including development facilities, at Oki group companies by the end of the fiscal year ending March 2005.

The bases that have accomplished zero emissions are Oki group's Hachioji facilities for R&D and prototype manufacturing of semiconductors, optical and electronic components, and Tama Oki Electric Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of LSI products test. Under the "Oki Eco Plan 21," those facilities have actively pursued such environmental strategies as energy savings, waste reduction, and reduced chemical consumption, which are much higher for semiconductor bases than for general manufacturing plants and offices.

Eliminating the various substances included in wastewater generated after cleaning wastewater-processing equipment became an important issue. These substances can cause clogs in filters and break equipment's pH electrodes during the dehydration process. Oki's semiconductor bases in Hachioji reconstructed the dehydration processing equipment by adding functions to eliminate the damaging substances in wastewater.

As a result of the modifications, they succeeded in dehydrating the wastewater and recycling the sludge from the water as cement materials, thereby reducing 140 tons of waste materials and achieving zero emissions. A program of recycling waste wafers to make solar battery components was also accelerated. Compared to the previous fiscal year, these reductions saved 10% or approximately 4 million yen in waste processing costs in the fiscal year ending March 2002.

Other major environmental initiatives implemented by Oki's semiconductor facilities in Hachioji, and the results of these initiatives are given below:
1. Complete sorting of various general and industrial wastes into 121 categories has been implemented for resource recycling. In particular, the chemical wastes are sorted into 57 categories, consisting of 23 kinds of waste oil, 23 kinds of waste acid, nine kinds of waste alkaline, and two others.
2. The amount of sludge generated from wastewater-processing equipment is being reduced by: (1) eliminating 397 tons a year of neutralizing chemical agents used to process wastewater by improving the processing method, reducing sludge generation by 40 tons; and (2) sorting wastewater from the semiconductor prototype line into 5 categories, based on density, for more effective recycling and effective use of wastewater-processing equipment.

"Oki keeps its commitment to the environment protective activities, by focusing not only the reduction, but also the collection and in-house recycling of wasted materials," said Ino.

About Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
Founded more than a century ago in 1881, Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. is Japan's first telecommunications manufacturer, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. With more than 23,000 employees worldwide, Oki Electric provides customers with top-quality products, technologies and solutions for telecommunication systems, information systems and electronic devices through its corporate vision, "Oki, Network Solutions for a Global Society." Visit Oki's global web site at http://www.oki.com/.

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