Hiwin Headquarters Obtains ISO 46001 Certification for Water Efficiency Management Systems in Response to Water Risk
TAIPEI, Dec. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Climate change is now a global crisis that people can no longer ignore. Drought, wildfire, and torrential rains are now occurring with increasing frequency around the world. A challenge facing many countries is uncertainties in water supply. The rainy season and typhoons are the main sources of precipitation in Taiwan, but the "once-in-a-century drought" that hit Taiwan in early 2021 placed the agricultural and semiconductor foundry industries under heavy pressure. More and more businesses are beginning to wake up to the fact that water resources may be the next environmental challenge they must face as water scarcity may have a direct impact on their business operations. Advanced planning has been carried out by Hiwin for the effective management of limited water resources, and in November it became the first company to obtain ISO 46001 certification for water efficiency management systems from the TÜV Rheinland Group.
The ISO 46001 standard on water efficiency management systems specifies requirements and contains guidance for their use regarding organizational water use. It includes the establishment of indicators for operational activities and water efficiency as well as measurement, documentation, and procurement practices. The goal of the standard is to enhance equipment, systems, processes, and personnel training pertaining to water use to optimize water efficiency. Hiwin Headquarters was consulted by the Taiwan Green Productivity Foundation on how to improve its water efficiency through the establishment of management indicators. Water conservation, installation of water recovery devices for water-intensive equipment, smart monitoring, and other measures are employed for continuous monitoring of internal and external water use throughout the organization.
ISO 46001 water usage reviews by Hiwin determined that around 60% of water consumption within its plant was due to indoor air-conditioning and this used 6,890 tonnes of water each month. A water usage target and action plan were therefore formulated. Other plants also developed their own water conservation plans at the same time. In 2021, Hiwin added water recovery systems to its No. 2 and No. 3 plants in Yunlin Science and Technology Park. Reclaimed water accounted for 5.9% of water usage in 2021. The ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 management systems were used as the basis for defining the ISO 46001 management guidelines. Hiwin is now using a variety of measures such as optimization of water recycling to balance its water usage.
At the same time, Hiwin is also cooperating with the government and industrial parks by making improvements to the water recycling system. Smart water meters were integrated with the power monitoring system for continuous monitoring of daily water usage and instantaneous water flow. The system can automatically detect equipment anomalies or failures so that any problems can be addressed immediately. RO treatment equipment was also added to the wastewater recovery system to improve water quality so that it can be used to replenish the coolant system. This should increase the amount of water reclaimed each day by 50 tonnes once all of the related projects are completed this year. Smart monitoring of the water recycling system allows for prediction of changes or peaks in water usage so that appropriate preparations can be made in advance.
All business use of water incurs a cost or potential value. Hiwin is engaging in water resource management through water conservation, increasing its water recycling ratio and water pollution prevention. These proactive measures reduce the risk of water shortages to ensure continuity of production. Global climate change makes the protection of water resources more critical than ever. TÜV Rheinland and Hiwin have been cooperating with each other for more than 20 years. They are now supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals by promoting clean water and hygiene in routine business activities. https://youtu.be/RwNnM8a8d4U
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