EPA FINDING ON GASES COULD AFFECT US IC MANUFACTURING

摘要

A recent move by the United States EPA (Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa. gov) could discourage IC manufacturing in the country. In late April, the EPA issued a proposed finding that greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare.rnOf the six gases identified as potential threats, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocar-bons, and sulfur hexafluoride are used in chip manufacturing. Although the companies using them regulate the gases and although the EPA finding does not offer proposed regulation of the gases, it does open the door to possibly stringent and costly restrictions on equipment makers and semi-rnconductor manufacturers.