In order to maintain water quality that meets the standards of the Coca-Cola system, all plants thoroughly check for any problems in the water they have pumped up, and work on managing it on a daily basis, considering water, which is the basis of safe manufacturing of products, as one of the raw materials.
We strictly control the amount of water used to manufacture our products so as not to waste water, which is one of the blessings of nature. Groundwater pumped from wells on the plant premises is monitored in accordance with the Coca-Cola system's unique requirements for both the amount and quality, and is properly authorized and controlled under the laws of Japan. Based on a well-developed plan supported by local governments, all plants measure and monitor the amount of water intake 24 hours a day, and report it to local governments on a regular basis.

Water is used in our products themselves, e.g. for extracting tea and coffee, as well as in the cleaning and disinfection processes of containers and lines. We thoroughly control the amount of water used in the production processes, and also recycle the water used.

As an example of measures to reduce the water consumption in PET bottle production, we have introduced a chemical-free Electron Beam system. By sterilizing empty PET bottles without using any chemicals, approximately 400 tons of water has been reduced at new lines compared to the amount of water used per day by the previous system.

We have also reviewed the cleaning process used before filling beverages into cans. At seven plants and nine production lines, we have replaced conventional water-based rinsing with water-free air rinsing.
As a result, we have reduced water consumption by approximately 20,000 tons annually.

In addition to water used as an ingredient in beverages, water is also used in various manufacturing processes within plants. Water from these processes is passed through a treatment process using a special filter known as an RO^* (Reverse Osmosis) membrane to remove impurities and is reused for applications such as cleaning production lines and heating.

We continue to review and improve manufacturing processes and plant equipment to enhance water efficiency and reduce water consumption year by year.

* Reverse Osmosis (RO): A water purification process that removes ions, molecules and other particles from water.

We work to ensure wastewater management aligns with local watershed cycle plans and regulations. This includes understanding local ordinances, water intake and drainage regulations, and potential natural disaster hazards. Our activities aim to maintain water intake and drainage quality that meets the standards of the Coca-Cola System. To achieve this, we have established voluntary drainage treatment standards that exceed legal requirements and implemented strict drainage controls to prevent contamination. Additionally, we fully comply with the Water Pollution Prevention Act and other water-related environmental laws and regulations.

At our plants, water used for rinsing containers, equipment, and cooling undergoes proper treatment before being discharged into sewers or rivers. For plants discharging to sewers, suspended particles are removed, and pH levels are adjusted to meet the standards set by local waterworks bureaus and regulations. For plants discharging water to rivers, water is purified on-site to comply with domestic water quality standards or the standards of the Coca-Cola systems, whichever is stricter. Treated water is stored in control tanks on-site and carefully monitored to prevent untreated water from leaving the premises.

All plants conduct secondary purification of wastewater, cooling water, and sewage water using the activated sludge process, which employs microorganisms to break down organic substances.
Some plants also carry out tertiary treatment to return water to nature with means such as special filters.