Mazda monitors substances covered by the European End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive, which in principle prohibits the inclusion of lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium in automobile parts and materials; the voluntary controls established by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc.; and the substances of environmental concern covered by GADSL*1, an international standard. Using a system called IMDS*2 for collecting and managing material data on automobile parts, we collect data from suppliers on the content of monitored substances in the materials and parts they provide to us. This enables us to track these substances and manage them appropriately. As of March 31, 2009, the total number of monitored substances has reached 144.

Guidelines are issued each year to help suppliers input the appropriate data into IMDS. They describe regulatory trends and types of data that must be updated. Data collected through IMDS is also used for purposes such as calculating vehicle recycling ratios and disclosure to consumers of chemical substances content.

In collaboration with the automobile industries of Europe, North America, South Korea, and Japan, Mazda supports the European REACH chemical regulations, which came into effect on June 1, 2008, through the cooperation of the entire automobile supply chain.

Mazda held explanatory sessions for all suppliers, ensuring that pre-registration was completed by November 30, 2008, and final registration is proceeding from December onward for chemical substances including components, compounds (oil, coatings, etc.), and substances intentionally discharged (washer liquid, etc.) that are covered by these regulations. For substances of very high concern (SVHC), which are being announced, notification or substitution may be required in some cases. We plan to continue working with suppliers to ensure these measures proceed smoothly.