Practical examples of exposure scenarios for the semiconductor industry published

Practical examples of exposure scenarios for the semiconductor industry published

News Alert
ECHA/NA/10/48
Media enquiries: ECHA Press

The European Chemicals Agency and the European Semiconductor Industry Association (ESIA) have together developed three practical examples of Exposure Scenario documents.

Helsinki, 6 September 2010 - The examples illustrate what the exposure scenarios, which are part of the Chemical Safety Reports, of suppliers of chemical substances sold to the semiconductor industry could look like. The project demonstrated that the exchange of information between substance manufacturers and downstream users facilitates a common understanding of the conditions of safe use, and hence is the key for a good exposure scenario.

The examples relate to the industrial manufacture of semiconductor devices (‘microchips') in areas called ‘clean rooms' in which the temperature, humidity and airborne particle contamination are strictly controlled. Based on three substance examples and their uses, the exposure scenario describes the conditions of safe use in clean rooms. The related exposure estimation was carried out with standard Tier 1 models. The examples demonstrated that risk of hazardous substances can be adequately controlled.

The International Sematech Manufacturing Initiative (ISMI), an international consortium of semiconductor manufacturers, and semiconductor chemical suppliers also contributed to the project.