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Green ICs

Green ICs. How can you Chip in?. What is an IC?.

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Green ICs

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  1. Green ICs How can you Chip in?

  2. 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 11-2012)

  3. 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)

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

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

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

  7. 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.

  8. 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)

  9. 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.

  10. 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

  11. Cadmium • Found in surface mount chip resistors • Kidney, bone, and pulmonary damage

  12. 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

  13. PBDEs • PolybrominatedDiphenylEther • 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.

  14. 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.

  15. 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

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

  17. 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:

  18. 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.

  19. 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.

  20. 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.

  21. The Downsides • Higher price • Product availability (Not a huge issue anymore)

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

  23. Questions?

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