Zero Use of Lead, Mercury, Hexavalent Chromium and Cadmium

Mazda has actively sought to eliminate the use of lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium and cadmium, all of which were generally prohibited for use in new cars after July 1, 2003, under the European Union End-of-Life Vehicle Directive.

With the exception of exempt parts, we have already completely eliminated lead and mercury usage. We attained zero use of hexavalent chromium in February 2007 by developing substitution techniques for important safety parts and the tie bolts and nuts that secure them. We have also achieved zero use of cadmium.

Reducing Refrigerant Usage in Air Conditioners

Mazda is working to reduce the use of CFC alternatives - greenhouse gases used as refrigerants for car air conditioners.

We are also working on new air conditioners that use alternative refrigerants.

Reducing Cabin VOCs by Reconsidering the Materials Used

To maintain a comfortable cabin environment, Mazda is committed to reducing VOCs, such as formaldehyde, toluene and xylene, which have been implicated as a possible cause of sick building syndrome.

In 1999, a deodorizing filter with an aldehyde removal feature was offered as an option on core models. We have gone on to further reduce VOCs in the cabins of new cars by using alternative materials for interior parts and adhesives, to stop VOCs from being emitted in the first place.

For the CX-7, released in 2006, we reduced VOCs by eliminating the need for adhesives in the instrument panel through new production techniques that construct the components and covering as a unit. In the all-new Demio (Mazda2) launched in 2007, we reduced VOCs in the main materials used in the cabin, such as resins, paints and adhesives, thereby meeting the guidance values for cabin temperature offered by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.