Multidisciplinary approaches target ES & H

Traditionally, environmental aspects of IC manufacture have been approached from the facilities level. These efforts focus on preparing a process fluid or treating a waste stream to meet local, national and international regulations in place at the time. The challenges typically involve finding a means to dilute, abate, neutralize or purify a fluid. The most obvious examples of this approach include diluting standard aqueous chemistries to clean wafers and treating water and chemical wastes before disposal. In part because of the technical nature of the industry and its high profile in the world's economy, government agencies look to the semiconductor industry to invent and champion new approaches to incorporate environmental considerations into technology.