100% recycling industrial water, clean tech investment… ESG Management of HANMI Semiconductor

HANMI Semiconductor is considered as the leading company in ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance). HANMI joined the UNGC (United Nations Global Compact) in November last year and is working on sustainable management activities pursued by the United Nations. They explain that they are joining the global guidelines for corporate social responsibility by complying with the ten principles of human rights, labor, environment, and anti- corruption.

HANMI Semiconductor is strictly managed by minimizing the handling of dangerous substances in accordance with the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standards, and is preventing environmental industrial accidents through MSDS (material safety data sheet). “Since our foundation in 1980, we have been thoroughly complying with safety management matters for more than 40 years to prevent disasters and accidents,” explained HANMI Semiconductor.

They are also ahead of eco-friendly management. 100% of industrial water up to 250 tons per day is recycled through water purification facilities. Introduced eco-friendly electric vehicles as Business vehicles to minimizing carbon and toxic substances. Energy efficiency has improved by replacing electric lights in all factories with LED (light emitting diodes), and harmful gases in indoor workplaces are also managed through air circulation systems. HANMI Semiconductor is investing about 30% of its total R&D expenses to clean tech (green technology that reduces resource consumption and inhibits pollutant generation).

Establishing sound governance is also one of their goals. HANMI explains that they strictly follow the board’s operation regulations and ethical guidelines. They are also paying attention to social contribution activities. In order to be with the local community, they deliver scholarships and donations to Juan Elementary School in Incheon, National Angel Soup Kitchen, Save the Children, Good Neighbors, Holt Children’s Services, The Korea Heart Foundation, and Medecins Sans Frontieres, etc.

Various activities are also underway to increase the satisfaction of executives and employees of their own and of contractors. HANMI’s workshop is equipped with assembly line workbay and logistics automation robots. This move is aimed at reducing the movement of workers so that they can focus on core tasks. They also installed AED (automatic cardiac arresters) throughout the company. Relations with its partners are also great. It operates a campaign not to receive holiday gifts, and a fair trade system for ethical management, as well as cash payments for purchases.

HANMI Semiconductor is also making efforts to maintain excellent semiconductor quality. They have obtained ISO9001 certification for the quality management system and are promoting ISO45001 certification for safety and health. They also hold CE certification, an integrated standard certification that means they have met all of the requirements related to safety, health, environment and consumer protection of the EU Council. A company official explained, “We are continuously improving quality and implementing innovative activities to provide the latest technologies and high-quality semiconductor equipment to meet various demands of customers.”

They continue to participate overseas semiconductor exhibitions to solidify its status as a leading company in the global semiconductor equipment industry. Every year, HANMI participates as an official sponsor of global semiconductor exhibitions such as ‘Semicon China’ and ‘Semicon Taiwan’ to carry out active promotional activities.

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The province is investing more than $7 million in seven projects across Northumberland-Peterborough South to improve drinking water, says MPP David Piccini.

The $7,022,744 will help create clean and environmentally-friendly infrastructure, more jobs and a sustainable future, said Piccini, during a recent funding announcement in Cobourg.

“I’m thrilled that our government is making this crucial and much-needed investment across Northumberland-Peterborough South,” said Piccini. “We’re ensuring our residents have clean drinking water, while providing good jobs and pay cheques for our residents.”

According to the province, this $7-million-plus is being allocated as follows:

•$978,363 for replacement of an “undersized and severely corroded transition watermain” in Brighton.

•$1,370,279 for replacement of a street standpipe for a new elevated tank in Port Hope.

•$402,852 to replace water distribution system in Crystal Springs.

•$384,952 to install and upgrade point-of-entry systems for 14 houses in Hiawatha First Nations.

•$689,287 to install a second watermain under the Trent River, which will improve water pressure and fire protection in Trent Hills.

•$572,942 to replace and upgrade a well in the Township of Alnwick/Haldimand.

•$961,762 to improve drinking water reservoirs in the Township of Asphodel-Norwood.

•$1,662,377 to replace an elevated tank in Cobourg.

“I am very pleased to announce that federal approval has (also) been secured for these vital projects,” said MP Phillip Lawrence. “Government works when we work together, and it was a privilege to have worked with our dedicated councillors, mayors and MPP to advocate for this funding in our community.”

Here’s a little more on how funding will help:

Brighton Mayor Brian Ostrander said this grant is vital for when it comes to growth and sustainability of the community. These funds will help replace a significant portion of an old waterman that feeds one of the fastest-growing areas in the community, he said.

The $3.6 million for Cobourg’s new elevated tank (combined investment total) will go a long way. Mayor John Henderson said it will help ratepayers and local trades and aid in attracting new commercial businesses to the area.

Dereck Paul, president and CEO of Cobourg’s Lakefront Utility Services Inc., added the need to replace the Victoria Street tank is well documented. This investment will help with updated infrastructure and additional water storage, said Paul.

Port Hope Mayor Bob Sanderson recently shared a similar sentiment after confirmation of funding via the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Green Stream program, which is helping with a new elevated water tank storage facility for the municipality.

“Port Hope is growing and this new water tank storage facility will address future demand and improve water supply security,” said Sanderson.

Alnwick/Haldimand Mayor Gail Latchford said funding will help with more secure – and better – water supply for Grafton residents.

In Trent Hills, Mayor Bob Crate noted a new transmission pipe will mean sufficient flow volumes and provide safety of redundancy for supply to residents on the south side, eliminating potential interruptions. This provincial-federal investment will help ensure sufficient drinking water capacity for the community now, and as it grows, with planned and future developments, added Crate.

All area politicians thanked the provincial and federal governments for their investments at the Cobourg funding announcement.

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Mail News Service

Chaibasa, Sept 13: Jharkhand Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Mithilesh Kumar Thakur presided a review meeting to assess work undertaken by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation at Chaibasa, Chakradharpur and Saraikela divisions. All Executive Engineers, Assistant Engineers, including Superintending Engineer Prabhat Kumar Singh and other officials qwere present during the meeting.

The Minister directed the engineers and officers present that they discharged their duties responsibly and ensured that the target of providing drinking water connections to households was achieved prior to the deadline. Thakur said that the target set for the purpose was comparatively higher than that of neighboring states but it had to be achieved.

 After the meeting, Mithilesh Kumar Thakur said that the target of the department was high and in comparison to the neighboring states, they were behind in the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission.

He said that the department had succeeded in providing pure drinking water connections to 9 lakh households despite the COVID-19 infection period during which the present state government was formed. “Our target is to provide 59.26 lakh households with pure drinking water connections by 2024 and to achieve this we all have to work as a team.”

Although the Jharkhand Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation expressed satisfaction while reviewing the Jal Jeevan Mission work implemented tghus far in the three divisions, he observed that execution of work needed to be speeded up to achieve the target. Thakur informed that in the forthcoming months many mega water supply schemes would be inaugurated by the department and many schemes were in the tender process. “Some jobs under the Jal Jeevan Project arre in progress while many others are to be launched shortly.”

When asked about thre Mission in the urban segment, the Minister stated that by December, water supply connections to maximum number of households in city areas would be provided.

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Laying emphasis on strengthening of drinking water sources along with providing functional household tapped drinking water under Jal Jeevan Mission in the hill state, the Himachal Government has prepared a special plan to construct buffer storage to strengthen drinking water schemes.
As pilot project, the scheme would be initially implemented in Mandi and Kullu districts and after successful results, the same would be implemented in other districts as well, said the spokesperson. Under the scheme, the gravity drinking water schemes are being strengthened in far-flung areas of Kullu and Mandi districts.
Under the scheme, gravity drinking water would be accumulated for about three months and would be utilized at the time of need. Electricity would not be used for this process.
Spokesperson said that to implement this project at the ground level, State Level Scheme Sanctioning Committee (SLSSC) has sanctioned Rs 353.57 crore.
Under the pilot project, buffer storage would be constructed for strengthening 147 schemes in nine blocks of Mandi district and 110 schemes in five blocks of Kullu district.
The Central Government has provided a total of Rs 2990.10 crore till March 2022 under Jal Jeevan Mission; and under this, 8.42 lakhs houses have been provided with tapped water whereas since 72 years of independence only about 7.63 lakhs houses have been provided with taps.
A total of 17.28 lakhs houses or families have been provided the taps in the State. The State Government has also appreciated the total coverage and work potential of the state under Jal Jeevan Mission.
In 2019-20, Rs 57.15 crore and in 2020-21, Rs 221.28 crore have been provided as incentive to the State. The State Government has provided an additional amount of Rs 750 crore as incentive to the state as best performance state for successful implementation of the scheme.
To ensure quality drinking water, the Jal Shakti Department has established 60 laboratories in the State and 14 laboratories setup at district level have been recognized by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
Besides, 36 sub-divisional level laboratories have also been recognized by NABL. About 83 percent laboratories of the state have been recognized by NABL, which is the highest at the national level.
As many as five women from each village are being identified and provided with training to test drinking water with Field Test Kit. Till date, training has been provided to 40,090 women and in last two years, water quality testing training has been provided to 61,901 persons in the state.
In 2020-21, one Field Test Kit each has been provided to 3615 Panchayats. In 2020-21, 18150 villages have been provided with Field Test Kits. Apart from this, to provide transparency in water quality, all the laboratories of the state have been opened for the public, in which testing is being done at minimal rates.
Last year, 2,93,245 drinking water samples were sent to laboratories for testing and 1,37,865 water samples were tested through Field Test Kits. In the present Financial Year, a target to test 3,00,606 water samples through laboratories and 142734 water samples through Field Test Kits have been set.
The successful implementation of the scheme would prove beneficial in realizing the vision of the government to provide safe drinking water in the state.

 

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Pesticide levels in public drinking water in County Wicklow remained below the safe level throughout 2021, according to irish Water’s latest report.

his is the third successive year in which zero exceedances of the safe limit have been recorded, however, Irish Water is urging domestic gardeners, farmers, grounds keepers and other users of pesticide products to consider the environment and whether pesticide use is necessary in the first instance.

MCPA is the most commonly detected pesticide in drinking water sources and is present in many  herbicide products used to control thistles, docks and rushes. Farmers and other landholders dealing with the challenge of rushes should note Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) guidance on the sustainable management of rushes.

Irish Water is asking users of any herbicide or pesticide products in Wicklow to consider the vulnerability of the water supplies to pesticide contamination and the importance of these supplies to the homes and businesses in the community.

Andrew Boylan, Irish Water’s Regional Drinking Water Compliance Specialist, said: “In County Wicklow, there have been no exceedances for pesticides in the past three years, which is good news.

“While our consultation with the HSE has concluded that the levels of pesticides that are being detected in drinking water supplies across the country do not represent a threat to public health, it is however undesirable and therefore imperative that users of pesticides are mindful of best practice when using herbicides or pesticides and seek out alternatives.”

A national group called the National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group (NPDWAG) has been formed to take action to address pesticides and devise and deliver various awareness raising and educational campaigns. This group has members from numerous state bodies and organisations including the EPA, DAFM, Teagasc, Local Authorities and Irish Water.

Dr Aidan Moody, DAFM and Chair of the National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group, said: “We need the continued engagement of all stakeholders, working in partnership, make further progress.

“Users of pesticides must always consider alternatives in the first instance and if the application of pesticides is considered essential make sure that they follow best practice measures to protect water quality.”

Irish Water stresses that minimising pesticide use not only helps to protect water quality but also has wider environmental benefits. For example, leaving areas unsprayed can help native flowering plant species to grow and support a range of insects including bees and other vital pollinators.

One third of Ireland’s bee species are threatened with extinction and by helping the bee population survive and thrive we are also helping to protect our precious water sources. For more information on practical ways to help bees and other pollinators, check out the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan at www.pollinators.ie. 

Where pesticide use is considered necessary, the NPDWAG is working with local communities to ensure that best practice measures to protect drinking water sources and biodiversity are always followed.

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Anyone interested in learning more about drinking water and the system that transports, collects, and treats water, to ensure it’s safe to drink, has two opportunities this month.

Drinking Water Week is May 1-7, and Oakland County’s water resources commissioner, Jim Nash will host a virtual workshop, “Water Infrastructure 101,” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, May 2, based at the Royal Oak Public Library. To register, visit www.ropl.org and see the events page or contact the library’s adult-services director, Matthew Day, at [email protected] or (248) 246-3732.

These sessions will include information on how the U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will help renew and upgrade the county’s water infrastructure.

A second discussion, on drains and road infrastructure, set for 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 10, in the multipurpose room at the Rochester Hills Public Library, 500 Olde Towne Road, in Rochester Hills. This is an in-person session. Officials from the Road Commission for Oakland County will be present.

People unable to attend can find free American Water Workers Association information at www.awwa.org.

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The BMC is all set to implement its ‘Water for All’ policy. But the conditions of an existing drainage system, to appoint licensed plumbers, and one connection for a group of 15 families have been opposed by slum residents and activists. Such conditions will only impede the policy and make it ineffective, asserted activists, who have asked for one connection for five families instead.

The Free Press Journal had reported the civic body’s earlier announcement of May 1 as the date for its implementation, but there is still no clarity on it. Additional municipal commissioner P Velarasu did not comment on the issue.

Currently, only BMC-mapped structures are entitled to a water connection. The policy was framed to provide connections to all the unmapped slums. It will try to improve water availability in areas such as slums on private or commercial land and illegal establishments that at present don’t get tap water. However, several terms and conditions put out by the BMC have worried the activists.

Sitaram Shelar, activist and founder of Pani Haq Samiti (Right to water campaign), said, “We welcome this policy but there are 150 slums, 55,000 buildings without occupation certificates with around 20 lakh residents who don’t have water connections. Earlier, too, the BMC had a policy that didn’t work out due to strict terms. We have demanded removal of some of the conditions like an existing drain network and licensed plumbers. Also one connection for a group of five families should be given instead of 15.”

In case of standpost connection, junior and sub engineers can do all the calculations; a licensed plumber is not a technical expert, activists said. They said it will only be a hurdle while applying for connection. If such strict conditions are not removed, this policy will not mean water for all, said licensed plumber Avinash Kaur, who works for Pani Haq Samiti; she signs for free for water connections.

Former opposition leader of the BMC, Ravi Raja said this policy has been announced with an eye on the upcoming civic election. “All have the right to get water, so no such strict conditions should be enforced,” he said.

Vinod Ghopal, the chairman of Fight for Right Foundation said, water connections are being taken in groups in slum areas. But in some slums, tanker mafia is active and does not allow residents to take connections. So conditions in this policy will further make it difficult for slum residents to get water.

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Published on: Sunday, May 01, 2022, 06:58 AM IST

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Thiruvananthapuram: The local self-government (LSG) department has upheld the bylaw passed by the city corporation regarding the distribution of drinking water using tankers while complying with the latest High Court order which said that the government may issue a proper reasoned order considering the contentions of the parties in accordance with the law. Following the HC order, special secretary, LSGD had heard the petitioners who moved the court against the bylaw and also the secretary of the city corporation.
As per the order issued by LSGD following the hearing, the department noted that the municipal corporation is well empowered to make such a law under the constitution and under the Kerala Municipalities Act 1994. Hence there is no relevant material to cancel the said bylaw as pleaded by the petitioners by enabling section 573 of the Kerala Municipalities Act 1994, the order notes. It further says that the bylaw is well within the law and legislative competence of the municipal corporation. The municipal corporation shall provide equal opportunity to the petitioners in the business of water supply subject to the existing rules and regulations, including the bylaw, according to the order.
According to the bylaw, the corporation made registration of all tankers supplying water in the corporation limits mandatory. The city corporation introduced the scheme mainly to regulate private agencies and other stakeholders from collecting unreasonable and exorbitant amounts from the public for supply of drinking water and to ensure uninterrupted supply of drinking water to the general public at all times.
The city corporation which introduced the bylaw in January 2020 faced strong resistance from private tanker owners who also filed a case against the corporation questioning the legal validity of the bylaw. Initially the tanker owners had managed to win a favourable court order by arguing that the bylaw would not hold ground legally since the state government had not approved it.
The local self-government department had in January 2021 approved the bylaw prepared by the corporation to regulate the operation of private water tankers in the city.
During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioners argued that the bylaw was framed unilaterally and implemented arbitrarily by the corporation, taking over a private business and monopolizing the business i.e., collection and distribution of water for various purposes using tanker lorries. They further contended that the by-law issued by the corporation had taken away the business from the petitioners, denying their livelihood and regulated water supply through a software application causing the petitioners to obtain a license before February 15, 2020, failing which a penalty was imposed and also compelled to install GPS facility in their vehicles. The petitioners had many external contracts to water supply which could not be performed due to the actions of the corporation, incurring huge losses.
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• Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura 

Agartala, April 30, 2022 : The problem of availability of safe drinking water for the residents of hills in remote areas of Gandacherra sub-division seemed to be inevitable during the regimes of leftist and rightist governments in Tripura.

It is to be noted that before the onset of the dry season, the villagers living in the hilly areas are worried about the acute shortage of clean and safe drinking water. In order to alleviate the crisis of pure drinking water, the concerned department seems to be almost in a kind of daydream.

The roads from the national highway to various sub-divisions are being blocked every day with the demand for drinking water and electricity. But it can be seen that those people who live in the hills within 20-25 km from the sub-divisional headquarters, where they will sit for blockade. Who will tell them that there is no drinking water as there is no electricity in the area for about a month. So they are forced to drink this water from rivulets.

On the one hand, the dry season is going on while on the other, by drinking this water their young boys and girls are suffering from diarrhoea and water borne diseases.

One such incident took place in Ashwini Roaja Para of Ratan Nagar ADC Village, about 22 KMs away from Gandacherra subdivision. There is no water in their neighborhood during this dry season. Today will be a month, they have forgotten what electricity is. After informing the electricity department for a month, the department is not taking any action. So whom will they tell their demands to? And there are no roads in the area where they will sit and demand for electricity and water.

The tribesmen of Ashwini Roaja Para area said “We have set foot on the 75th year of Republic Day. I am about 50 years old. I don’t know if there is anything called filtered drinking water.”

“Even today, we are still drinking the water supplied through decades old rotten bamboo. So where will our children get that filtered drinking water. Hence, we consume water from the rain which is put on the corner of our house. It’s our fate. We accept it”, he added.

The only demand of the hill tribes living in the remote areas is that the concerned department of the state government and administration should come forward as soon as possible to solve the long-standing problem of pure drinking water in the remote areas.

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Water-Can’s Water and Environment Manager, Ferrial Adam said the results do not necessarily mean that the water is not safe for drinking.

Municipalities in KZN and Limpopo were amongst the top worst in the country.

Adam said not only ddid Limpopo municipalities do badly on the Blue Drop (which measures the quality of drinking water, they also did badly on the Greed Drop (which focuses on the state of waste water treatment plants)

“The water is Limpopo is really concerning and every municipality in the area did very badly,” she said.

Adam said there is a combination of reasons behind the low-quality water in some municipalities.

“Lack of technical skills throughout the country, the lack of ability to test water, corruption and mismanagement at municipal level are the some of the reasons behind in municipalities that had low-quality water. “

Ferrial Adam

Adam also pointed out that the research was conducted in January to December in 2021 and was not taken recently after the floods in KZN.

In March, Hammanskraal residents called on the Presidency to intervene in the ongoing water crisis which has lasted for about two decades.

The Rooiwal WasteWater treatment plant which supplies Hammanskraal in Pretoria North was contaminated with human faeces a while back. Residents have had to use and consume the contaminated water which poses serious health risks.

This week, community leaders in Hammanskraal called on the Presidency to intervene. Residents said they get runny tummies whenever they drink the water. They also alleged that complaints about the crisis have fallen on deaf ears.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) also probed the ongoing crisis in Hammanskraal. Its report found the City of Tshwane had not met its constitutional obligation to provide clean water to residents.

The Commission said lack of clean water was a violation of Human Rights as families say they can’t use the brownish and slimy water coming out of their taps.

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