Measures Strengthens to Segregate Smoking Areas at Tokyo Office

Measures to prohibite health-damaging smoking are fast becoming a global trend. In Japan, the Health Promotion Law was enforced on May 1st, and persons in charge of facilities where large numbers of people congregate are now required to adopt measures to prevent passive smoking (inhalation of the smoke from other people's cigarettes).

At the Polyplastics' Tokyo Office, in line with the enforcement of this law, in addition to the two smoking rooms on the six floor equipped with stand-alone air cleaners, ventilation fans have been newly installed in the ceilings for forcibly remove smoke. In addition, small air cleaners have been installed in each meeting room for visitors that smoke. Even on the seventh floor where executive offices are located, a stand-alone air cleaner has been installed in the smoking room, while a small air cleaner has also been installed in the meeting room where smoking is allowed, and smoking locations have been designated. Therefore, no smoking at all is allowed at most meeting rooms and rooms for visitors at the headquarters
In addition to this, Japan will raise the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes on July 1 by 20.
In addition to enforcement of the Health Promotion Law, the rise in the price of cigarettes may increase further the number of non-smokers.

To tell the truth, I was once a heavy smoker, going through 60 cigarettes a day.

(Yoshinori Nakamura, General Administration Dept.)

At the TSC, for example, smoking was formerly permitted in a total of five locations

Accompanying the enforcement of the Health Promotion Law, measures to prevent passive smoking have been further strengthened in the Fuji area, and since June 2nd, smoking has been prohibited outright other than at designated smoking areas
At the TSC, for example, smoking was formerly permitted in a total of five locations — in the first floor lobby, the smoking area in the second floor office, the fourth floor lobby, the fifth floor meeting room, and the corridors of the second floor new wing. However, since June 2nd, smoking is only permitted in the smoking area in the second floor office as this area is completely sealed off. When meeting rooms are used to accommodate visitors, smoking is in principle not permitted unless requested by the customer. On this account, ashtrays have been removed from the lobbies and meeting rooms.
The outright smoking ban is not a shut out of smokers _ its objective is coexistence with non-smokers through strengthened segregation of smokers and non-smokers. A further improvement in smoking manners is thus called for.

Photo 1: Lobby before removal of ashtrays		Photo 2: Lobby after removal of ashtrays
Photo 3: Independent smoking space ("1 shot" at lunch break)

New Neon Sign on Company Apartment House Roof

-Name Changed from Duracon to Group Logo Polyplastics-

Near Polyplastics' Fuji Plant in Fuji, there is a company apartment house that was built 40 years ago for employees and their families. The neon sign on its roof advertising Duracon, a company product, is the same age. The sign can be seen clearly by passengers on the Shinkansen, Japan's famous bullet train. Almost everyone in Fuji knows the sign. It is a landmark for taxi drivers, who ask people wanting to go to the Polyplastics' apartment house, "The one with the Duracon sign, right?" The sign is even familiar to small children in the neighborhood who call the building the "Duracon apartments."

For 40 years the sign has endured the damaging effects of wind and snow, and also the salt air, because Fuji is near the sea. The sign is in bad condition now, and for several years the company has talked about putting up a new one.

On July 14, 2003, construction was begun to put up a new sign. To make the work as easy and safe as possible, the work was done in the middle of July because that is when the rainy season is nearing an end in Japan. It is also the time just before summer vacation, so children are still in school and not playing outside near the construction area, where they could be hurt. The new sign was finished on July 18; fortunately it didn't rain much and there were no accidents.

The name on the sign was changed from Duracon to Polyplastics, the group logo, to symbolize the company's 40-year history. It will probably take several years for Fuji residents to start thinking of the building as the "Polyplastics apartments." But we think this is a golden opportunity to make the company name better known.