Semiconductors are the foundation of all electronics and information technology that drive our modern world. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) enable nearly every aspect of the semiconductor value chain – from simple electronic components used in production equipment, to specialized fluid and gas management systems in factories, to carefully crafted process chemicals essential to photolithography. Nearly every company in the semiconductor industry relies on some aspect of PFAS.
To complement the efforts of the SEMI PFAS Working Group, which focuses on regulatory issues primarily in the European Union and the United States, and the SEMI PFAS Initiative, which is focused on supply chain matters, SEMI members have developed a PFAS Explainer document to provide companies in the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain with information about PFAS. The Explainer focuses on components that are incorporated into semiconductor manufacturing equipment and the equipment that is built into semiconductor manufacturing facilities.
Topics covered by the Explainer include:
- The PFAS concern for industry
- Why your company should be concerned
- What are PFAS?
- Why are PFAS being regulated as a group?
- SEMI PFAS mission statement
- The semiconductor manufacturing industry responds
- SEMI PFAS working groups – consider joining us
- The Semiconductor PFAS Consortium whitepapers
- Types of PFAS regulations
- PFAS regulation examples
- PFAS concentrations of regulatory interest
- SEMI PFAS investigation definition
- A listing of PFAS
- PFAS-containing components
- Unusual cases
- Other PFAS materials
- PFAS alternatives and use cases
- Equipment component groups
- PFAS in chemical safety data sheets
- Testing for PFAS
- Material disclosure protocols
- Inquiries into your supply chain
- Supplier EHS/compliance staff
The Explainer was developed by and is maintained by the SEMI PFAS Working Group.
For more information and to download the SEMI PFAS Explainer, please visit: https://www.semi.org/en/EHS_PFAS_Explainer.
PFAS Meetings and Events at SEMICON West 2024
All three SEMI PFAS Initiative Working Groups – Industry Transition Strategy & Risk Mapping, Transparency, and Supply Chain Resiliency – will be holding face-to-face working sessions on Tuesday, July 9, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. PDT at the upcoming SEMICON West 2024 at Moscone Center in San Francisco. Working group leaders will guide discussions to accelerate progress towards reducing PFAS dependency, mitigating PFAS-related semiconductor supply chain disruption, improving supply chain communication, and encouraging environmentally responsible risk management in cases where there are no alternatives to PFAS
SEMICON West will also feature a dedicated PFAS session Regulatory Threats, Supply Chain Challenges, Research Opportunities and Industry Collaboration on the Sustainability Stage on Wednesday, July 10, 3:00 – 5:15 p.m. PDT. The session will be preceded by PFAS-focused talks during the Innovation on Net Zero & PFAS session on the Sustainability Stage, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. PDT.
All events are in-person only, and attendees must be registered for SEMICON West. Registration is open.
Learn more about the SEMI PFAS Initiative and get involved in SEMI EHS. SEMI EHS Working Groups are composed of industry technologists from leading companies across the global semiconductor manufacturing supply chain. The Working Group meets regularly to share intelligence and develop strategies to earn exemptions and/or extensions from regulators and prepare the industry for potential supply chain disruptions. Join us in this crucial effort to enable the industry to continue manufacturing chips vital to the prosperity of the world by contacting [email protected].
James Amano is Senior Director of EHS and Ben Kallen is Senior Manager of Public Policy and Advocacy at SEMI.
