From Waste to Worth: Eco-Conscious PCB Production

On the way to becoming more sustainable, the electronics industry is adopting environmentally friendly procedures in the production of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs). Sustainable practices for manufacturing and recycling PCBs have only recently begun to be implemented in the industry. With the new restrictions on the use of toxic substances and other ways of manufacturing, the PCB industry is addressing climate change. Notable manufacturers of PCBs observe rules such as RoHS and REACH regulations and other requirements. In this article, the reader will gain insight into the issues related to the environmental effects of PCBs and the sustainable approaches undertaken by leading companies in the industries.

PCB Production Impact on Environment:

Eco-conscious PCB production aims to address these issues through innovative, sustainable solutions. Traditional PCB manufacturing generates significant waste:

• Chemical Pollution: PCB etching processes release hazardous chemicals, like acids and solvents, into the environment.
• Energy Consumption: High-energy processes, like drilling and plating, contribute to carbon emissions.
• Material Waste: Excess copper, resin, and laminate scraps often go to landfills.

Strategies for Sustainable PCB Production

Recycling and Reusing Materials: Recovering copper scraps for reuse reduces raw material consumption. Recycling non-conductive board materials minimizes landfill contributions.

Green Materials: Using halogen-free laminates eliminates toxic fumes during disposal. Biodegradable PCBs are emerging as eco-friendly alternatives. Complying with RoHS standards eliminates harmful lead from PCBs.

Water and Energy Conservation: Closed-loop water systems recycle rinse water to minimize wastage. Renewable energy sources like solar power are being integrated into production facilities.

Innovative Manufacturing Techniques: Additive manufacturing (3D printing) reduces material waste by only depositing material where needed. Laser drilling minimizes energy use compared to traditional mechanical drilling. Automation and IoT technologies optimize energy usage and reduce waste.

Role of Designers and Manufacturers: Opt for minimalistic designs to reduce material use. Collaborate with suppliers offering eco-certified raw materials. Prioritize low-energy and low-waste manufacturing processes.

Sustainable Manufacturing of PCBs:

Previously, the production of PCB used to depend on the use of lead and formaldehyde, which were highly toxic chemicals, making production highly dangerous for workers and damaging the environment. The harmful water produced during the etching processes contained heavy metals, which harmed the environment greatly. Over time, PCB manufacturers have complied with RoHS and REACH directives, which has enabled them to use pratic functions.

RoHS: Stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances. It bans certain chemicals in finished electronic components, such as printed circuit boards and cables. RoHS aims to address the global issue of consumer electronics waste. See what comes under RoHS compliance from our new detailed article on it.

REACH: Stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals. It requires electronics manufacturers to:

• Register the chemicals they produce, import, or use
• Evaluate the safety data for chemicals of concern
• Phase out chemicals of “very high concern” and replace them with safer alternatives

These include eliminating toxic substances, ensuring ethical supply chains, and using eco-friendly materials. When selecting a manufacturer, prioritize those adhering to these standards to support a more sustainable PCB industry. Although PCB manufacturers have to face several challenges while adopting environmentally sustainable production. For example: higher initial costs, green materials may have performance trade-offs and varied global standards can complicate implementation.

Restricted Substances Under ROHS Compliance:

The directive’s goal is to reduce these substances' environmental impact and health risks.  RoHS is often referred to as the "lead-free directive", but it restricts the use of the following ten substances:

• Lead (Pb)
• Mercury (Hg)
• Cadmium (Cd)
• Hexavalent chromium (Cr6+)
• Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)
• Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)
• Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
• Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP)
• Dibutyl phthalate (DBP)
• Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)

The maximum permitted concentrations in non-exempt products are 0.1% or 1000 ppm (except for cadmium, which is limited to 0.01% or 100 ppm) by weight.

The restrictions are on each homogeneous material in the product, which means that the limits do not apply to the weight of the finished product, or even to a component, but to any single material that could (theoretically) be separated mechanically – for example, the sheath on a cable or the tinning on a component lead.

Before products can be sold in the EU, PCB manufacturers, importers, and distributors must comply with RoHS regulations. A PCB assembly can't contain these restricted substances above the allowable limit to be ROHS compliant. In addition, they have to retain proper documentation and traceability to demonstrate compliance.

Substances of Very High Concern under REACH initiative:

While compliance with the RoHS regulations restricts the use of hazardous materials in a final product, the REACH initiative controls chemicals used during the manufacturing processes for printed circuit boards, electrical components, and electronic components. Those chemicals are on the list of Substances of Very High Concern (SHVC) and include:

• Dibutyl phthalate
• Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
• Hexabromocylclododecane  
• Butyl benzyl phthalate
• Tributyltin oxide

In contrast to the RoHS, REACH applies to the supply chain as well as to manufacturers. A supplier must notify a PCB manufacturer that bare circuit boards, assembled circuit boards, housings, components, sub-assemblies, and finished products comply with the REACH initiative.

What is the Impact of PCB Manufacturing on the Environment?

Historically, PCB manufacturing has posed some environmental concerns due to energy-intensive practices resulting in high emission rates. Additionally, without proper waste management, PCB manufacturing contributes to hazardous waste which may affect human health and safety.

Unfortunately, the impact of PCB manufacturing itself is just a small percentage of the impact created by the entire electronics industry. Developing sustainable solutions for PCB manufacturing includes changing the fabrication practices for components made by third-party suppliers.

How PCBs are Manufactured Changed Nowadays:

Today PCB manufacturers have integrated new techniques to enhance performance and dependability of PCBs while substituting banned materials. For instance, in place of lead-tin solder, a tin-silver-copper solder is used. Even though silver is a risky material, its usage in the form of a silver flake tin silver copper solder is environmentally friendly.

• Materials: For strong bonds with high conductivity, adhesives made of silicone or polyamide polymer containing silver flakes are used.
• Technologies: Electroplating, solder ball formation, and solder dipping are lead free methods of increasing the functionality of the solder.

The shift to lead free soldering also encouraged the design teams to work closely with the manufacturers to arrive at highly compacted layouts. This gave manufacturers the capability to produce small sized boards at low costs. Such improvements are made on PCBs to ensure that environmental policies and regulations are met without sacrificing quality.

Conclusion:

The news about global climate change constantly bothering you? There is no room for procrastination as attention needs to be paid to the eco-sustainability of products offered by the companies out there. Environmental benign PCB design and fabrication is fundamental in achieving a sustainable future. There is a considerable environmental move in the Electronic industry if sustainable practices are employed in all stages of production. There is an assurance that sustainability and technological development, which many consider as opposing objectives, can be brought together by manufacturers, consumers, and designers. Choice is almost always given. Sustainability is not in this case as far as PCB design and fabrication is concerned.