A total approach to industry sustainability

Green manufacturing in the semiconductor industry with a comprehensive commitment to environmentally benign practices across the spectrum of the manufacturing process to sustain the industry in the 21st century is discussed. It will involve incorporating environmental awareness from green manufacturing and green fabs to eco-friendly processing and manufacturing waste recycling. Green manufacturing begins with adopting environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) that favors products manufactured, packaged, and distributed with superior environmental, safety, and health (ESH) characteristics. An integrated system of specially engineered tools, methods, products, and supporting technologies that collectively reduce energy and resource consumption constitute the green fab benefitting a company's bottom line. Green processing involves a wide-spread, quality-oriented methodology for assessing the environmental effects of new materials, while recycling and reuse ensure resource management.