We would like to announce the completion and opening of our RDF recycling plant, which utilizes the waste produced by our factories to create the raw materials to make the RDF. This plant is the first of its kind to be opened within the cable industry in Japan.

RDF (an abbreviation of Refuse Derived Fuel) has been developed over recent years in response to the demands to recycle waste. It is a solid fuel formed by breaking down the combustible waste from wastepaper and discarded plastic etc. into small pieces and then heat compressing them.

The RDF we are making is made up of a ratio of 3 parts waste paper: 2 parts wood chips: 5 parts discarded plastic. This combination has been developed to have the same calorific rate as that of coal - about 21,000 - 25,000 kJ/kg, (or approximately 5,000 - 6,000 kcal/kg).

The newly opened RDF Recycling plant is located at our Toyoura Works (in Hitachi city, Ibaraki), and cost around 2 hundred million Yen to build. After combustible waste generated from Toyoura and our other 4 factories around Hitachi has been segregated it can simply be taken to the plant for conversion into RDF. With production capacity standing at 4.8 t/day ( about 105 t/month), we have started sending samples of our RDF fuel to those who are interested in knowing more about using it as a heat source. With the completion of this RDF recycling plant not only will it be possible to more easily transport and store waste as solid fuel, but at the same time we hope that it will be effective in greatly reducing the amount of emitted waste.

RDF Recycling Plant Data

1.	Date of Completion: Wednesday, 19th November 1997
2.	Equipment Manufacturer: Hitachi Setsubi Engineering Co., Ltd.
3.	Construction Costs: Approx. 2 hundred million Yen
4.	Production Capacity: 4.8 t/day (about 105 t/month)
5.	Location details: Toyoura Works, (General Manager, Toyoura Works: M. Sakamoto) 4 - 10 - 1 Kawajiri-cho, Hitachi city, Ibaraki - prefecture.

Actions we are taking to ensure the preservation of the environment:

Because actively preserving the world's environment is one of our priorities we drew up "The Hitachi Cable Environmental Protection Conduct Guide " and "The Environmental Protection Action Plan " (Voluntary Plan) in March 1993, which is actively followed by all our enterprises.
The main areas our "Voluntary Plan" covers are: the Prevention of Global Warming, the Abolition of Ozone Depleting Substances, together with the Promotion of Recycling. We are currently, company wide, actively pursuing the set target of reducing the emitted waste level, calculated in 1991, by 50% by the turn of the century. Over the last 5 years our production techniques have advanced, thus meaning both a reduction in the rate of the occurrence of waste and disposal taking place more thoroughly and effectively, these acts in themselves are driving forward the concept of recycling etc.. Due to such measures we are already on target for the 50% reduction rate by the time specified.