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WORLD COMPUTER CHIP MANUFACTURERS PLEDGE TEN PERCENT CUT IN GLOBAL WARMING GAS
Release Date: 05/06/99
Contact Information:
FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1999
WORLD COMPUTER CHIP MANUFACTURERS PLEDGE
TEN PERCENT CUT IN GLOBAL WARMING GAS
TEN PERCENT CUT IN GLOBAL WARMING GAS
The World Semiconductor Council (WSC) has agreed to reduce emissions of important greenhouse gases called perfluorocompounds (PFCs). At the third WSC meeting in Fuiggi, Italy in April, all members agreed to reduce PFC emissions by at least 10 percent below 1995 levels by 2010. The WSC, which was formed in 1996 to address market access issues, and promote industry cooperation on economic, trade and environmental issues facing the global semiconductor industry, includes the Semiconductor Industry
Association (SIA) of the United States, the European Electronic Component Manufacturers Association (EECA), the Electronic Industries Association of Japan (EIAJ), the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association (KSIA), and the Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association (TSIA). WSC members produce over 90 percent of semiconductors and had over $125 billion in world sales in 1998. EPA and the Japan Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) actively supported and encourage the WSC agreement. PFCs are used for two important production processes: plasma etching thin films and cleaning chemical vapor deposition tool chambers. Use of these chemicals are critical to current semiconductor manufacturing methods and reducing emissions is a formidable technical challenge. PFCs are the most potent and persistent of all greenhouse gases. These chemicals have on average 10,000 times the global warming potential (GWP) of carbon dioxide over 100 years, and have atmospheric lifetimes ranging from 2,000 to 50,000 years. For further technical information contact Sally Rand of EPA’s Climate Protection Division at 202-564-9739 or by e-mail at: rand.sally@epa.gov.
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