The Environmental Cost of Printed Circuit Boards
Printed circuit boards are the physical structures on which electronics components are mounted. Manufacturing is divided into five steps: board preparation, application of conductive coatings, soldering, fabrication and assembly. These steps produce the following wastes.
Air Pollutants
- particulates
- acid fumes
- ammonia fumes
- organic vapors
- CFCs, or chlorofloro carbons
Waste Stream Pollutants
- acid and alkaline solutions
- electroless copper baths
- catalyst solutions
- developing solutions
- resist material
- etchants
- aqueous metals
- plating baths
- metals, including nickel, silver, copper, lead
- flux residue
- deionized water
Other Wastes
- sludge
- scrap board metal
- waste rinse water
- solder
- filters
- gloves
The electronics industry uses tetrabromobisophenol-A (TBBA) to produce fire-resistant printed circuit boards. Methyl bromide, a pesticide classified as a category I acute toxin and a potent ozone depleter, is a byproduct of TBBA.
Sources: EPA, 1995. The Bromide Barons, Political
Ecology Group and Transnational Resource & Action Center, forthcoming March 1997.
For more information, contact:
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
760 N. First Street
San Jose, CA 95112
Phone: (408) 287-6707
Fax: (408) 287-6771
Email: svtc@svtc.org
- 192 Technology & Telecommunications
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