CASE STUDY # 93
1. Headline: Raw material substitution and new technology in
the manufacture of microelectronics.
2. Background: See below.
3. Cleaner Production Principle: Material substitution, new
technology
4. Description of Cleaner Production Application: Copper
sheet metal in the manufacture of flexible electronic
circuits must be clean. The sheets were formerly sprayed
with ammonium persulfate, phosphoric acid, and sulfuric
acid. 3M replaced this cleaning process with a specially
designed mechanical device that uses rotating brushes and
pumice as an abrasive to clean the copper sheet metal.
Material/Energy Balances and Substitutions
WASTES: Pumice
sludge
5. Economics:
CAPITAL COST: $59,000
MONTHS TO RECOVER: 36
DIRECT COST: $15,000/year
WASTE PRODUCTION: 40,000 lb/year
IMPACT: Reduced volume of
disposed waste and eliminate hazardous
waste management costs.
6. Advantages: See above.
7. Constraints: No information provided.
8. Contacts and Citation:
"Proven Profit from Pollution Prevention," D. Huisingh, L.
Martin, H. Hilger, N. Seldman, The Institute for
Self-Reliance 2425 18th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.,
1985, case study 32, Page 127.
Name and Location of
Company:
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M)
Columbia, MO
United States
c/o Mike Koeningsberger
TEL: 1 (612) 778-4523
9. Keywords: United States, USA, microelectronic, printed
circuit board, new technology, material substitution,
acid, mechanical cleaning, copper, ISIC 3670.
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: UNEP01.52 306-001-A-027)