INTERNATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE

CASE STUDY # 85

1. Headline: A new technology reduces waste at a California

semiconductor firm.

2. Background: See below.

3. Cleaner Production Principle: New technology

4. Description of Cleaner Production Application: The company

utilizes automated photoresistant dispensing systems in

its operation. The automated dispensing system is

designed and sold by Tritec Industries in Mountain View,

California. It is reported that the system provides

maximum usage of photoresist from the supply bottles,

continuous uninterrupted operation with minimal operator

assistance, and point of use filtration resulting in

higher wafer yields. The dispense system does not require

any modification or adjustments to the existing dispense

systems on spinner tracks.

Material/Energy Balances and Substitutions:

FEEDSTOCKS:

Photoresist

WASTES: Residual

photoresist

MEDIUM: Supply

bottles

5. Economics:

COST: (1985

dollars)

CAPITAL COST:

$3,750/unit

MONTHS TO RECOVER

INVESTMENT: 7

6. Advantages

FEEDSTOCK REDUCTION:

$6,750/year per unit (based on an

18% annual reduction in

photoresist waste)

WASTE PRODUCTION: 50%

reduction in photoresist waste

IMPACT: Reduces

need for virgin photoresist by

utilizing higher percentage of

photoresist in supply bottles.

Reduces waste photoresist

incineration/landfilling

requirements.

7. Constraints: No information provided.

8. Contacts and Citation:

"Waste Generation and Disposition Practices and Currently

Applied Waste Minimization Techniques within the

Semiconductor Industry," State of California Department of

Health Services Waste Reduction Grant Number 85-00181,

Semiconductor Industry Association, Cupertino, California,

August, 1987, Page 13.

Name and Location of Company:

Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA)

Steven Pedersen

Director

Environmental and OSHA Affairs

SIA

10201 Torre Avenue

Suite 275, Cupertino

CA 95014

United States

9. Keywords: United States, USA; semiconductor, new

technology, ISIC 3674, photoresist

10. Reviewer's Comments: This case study was originally

abstracted for the United States Environmental Protection

Agency's Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse.

It underwent a UNEP IE funded technical review in 1994 for

quality and completeness. It was edited for the ICPIC

diskette by UNEP IE in July 1995.

(DOCNO: UNEP01.52 201-001-A-002)