PFAS in Semiconductor Manufacturing
Learn how advanced waste gas and water treatment solutions can help tackle PFAS emissions and support cleaner, more sustainable chip manufacturing.
PFAS in Semiconductor Production
The semiconductor industry faces major challenges when dealing with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Due to their unique properties such as temperature and chemical resistance, these materials are indispensable in many areas of semiconductor manufacturing, particularly in etching and cleaning processes and as components of membranes and filters.
Focus on PFAS
However, PFAS are increasingly becoming the focus of regulatory scrutiny due to their properties. Many of these chemicals are toxic, can cause cancer and infertility and weaken the immune system. In addition, the extremely stable carbon-fluorine bonds are not degradable in nature.
PFAS Regulation and Treatment Technologies
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has proposed a comprehensive PFAS ban within the European Economic Area. In addition, numerous U.S. states have enacted or are implementing bans and restrictions on PFAS in various consumer and industrial products. Japan is also taking action, with a ban on the manufacture, import, and use of 138 PFAS chemicals effective January 2025. Globally, the Stockholm Convention has listed several PFAS for elimination or restriction, including a recent ban on long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) to be enforced by all member countries from January 2026.
Our expertise in the areas of waste gas and wastewater treatment forms a solid basis for the development of forward-looking technologies that can meet the challenges of the PFAS problem in the semiconductor industry. This includes the optimisation of cleaning systems for effective PFAS removal, for example CF4, as well as research into innovative treatment technologies.
