How can you Chip in? Green ICs

What is an IC? “An electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material. Additional materials are deposited and patterned to form interconnections between semiconductor devices.” (Wikipedia, Feb )

Which Means?  An IC is a densely packed array of small electronic components manufactured to perform a specific task.  Some examples you’ve probably already worked with:  555 Timer  PIC Microcontroller  741 Op Amp  Focus: ICs, their packaging, and Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs)

What is a Green IC?  Not Blue,  Not Yellow,  But a Dangerous Hybrid of them both…

What is a Green IC?  Minimal Impact on the Environment.  All standards seek to limit the amount of toxic materials the IC contain.

Why are ICs Dangerous?  ICs and PCBs can contain dangerous materials, including various heavy metals, carcinogens, and neurotoxins.

Lead  Lead is used to connect the IC to the Circuit Board (Solder).  Prior to 2005, Arlen Recycling Inc. estimated that the average computer contained up to 6.3% lead.  Since another presentation is on the dangers of lead solder, we won’t go into too much detail.

Mercury  Side Effects:  Cognitive and Behavioral disabilities  Memory Problems  Coordination Problems  Visual-Spatial Impairment  Lung Damage (if inhaled)  Gastrointestinal Damage (if ingested)  Kidney Damage (at high doses)  Death (at extremely high doses)

Mercury  Found primarily in the PCBs and different electrical components such as mercury switches.  The environment is exposed to the mercury when old electronic equipment is disposed of in landfills.

Hexavalent Chromium  Side Effects: Skin rashes Upset stomachs and ulcers Respiratory problems Weakened immune systems Kidney and liver damage Alteration of genetic material Lung cancer Death

Cadmium  Found in surface mount chip resistors  Kidney, bone, and pulmonary damage

PBBs  Polybrominated Biphenyl  Used as a fire retardant commonly found in plastics.  The exact effects on humans are unknown, though some studies show links between PBBs and:  Skin Problems  Weight Loss  Nervous and immune system effects  Early menarche in young women

PBDEs  Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether  A type of PBB.  Takes a long time to break down  Bio-accumulate  Found mostly in the plastic casings of the ICs.  Linked to infertility,  Concentration in humans has increased dramatically in previous years.

What can we do about it?  As consumers of electronic products, we can recycle old equipment properly.  As Future Engineers (hopefully), we have a responsibility to make design choices that will minimize the negative impact on the environment.  Hypothetical situation:  Designing a new cellular phone for a major retailer.  2-3 year lifespan  Old phone is discarded and is replaced.

What can we do about it?  You designed it with dangerous materials  Within 3 years, it’s garbage  A certain phone has sold over 4 million units this year. iWon’t mention which one  A lot of your product is in the garbage

Yes, you are a terrible person.  But you don’t have to be!  Follow the RoHS guidelines!

RoHS Guidelines  Restriction of Hazardous Substances  Put forward by the European Union  Took effect in July of 2006  Regulates the levels of 6 toxic substances: LeadMercuryCadmium Hexavalent Chromium PBBsPBDEs

RoHS Guidelines  Substances must be kept below 0.1% concentration except Cadmium, which is limited to 0.01%.  This concentration limit is for any homogenous piece of the whole device.  These guidelines do not limit batteries.

RoHS Guidelines and North America  Canada and the USA are not members of the European Union.  Canada and the USA do not have an equivalent of the RoHS  Many mass producers of ICs market both RoHS compliant and non-RoHS compliant components.

What to Watch for  Select components that are RoHS compliant.  RoHS compliant devices usually use it as a key selling feature.  If you do not see a prominent statement of RoHS compliance, then odds are the component doesn’t comply.

The Downsides  Higher price  Product availability (Not a huge issue anymore)

But wait, there’s more!  Your product can:  Be marketed in Europe.  Compete with other products.  Appease environmentalists.  Give you a clean conscience.

Questions?