IBM plans to eliminate by the end of this year all internal uses of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoroooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).
These materials have been used for wafer patterning and etching processes, and are most commonly used as stain repellants. IBM's ban is "based on growing evidence of the persistent bioaccumulative and toxic properties," IBM states in its just-released Corporate Responsibility Report.
IBM is replacing PFOA and PFOS with next-generation, fluorine-free photolithography chemicals. The banned chemicals were eliminated last year from wet-etch processes in New York and Vermont plants.
IBM has issued corporate responsibility reports since 2002 to monitor its progress on environmental, supply chain and other goals. "Building a smarter planet isn't simply a recipe for economic growth; it's also a recipe for radically expanded economic and societal opportunity," says CEO Samuel J. Palmisano.
Voluntary materials prohibitions and restrictions by IBM date to 1978 when polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were banned. Use of polyvinyl chloride has been prohibited from system enclosure parts in new products after 2007. A full list of materials prohibitions follows:
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Voluntary materials prohibitions and restrictions by IBM |
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Substance |
Year |
Comments |
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Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) |
1978 |
Prohibited from use in products (Initiated phased approach for elimination in 1974. Achieved by year-end 1978.) |
|
Trichloroethene |
Late 1980s |
Eliminated from use in development and manufacturing processes |
|
Ozone depleting chemicals |
1990 |
Prohibited as expansion agents used in packaging |
|
Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) |
1990 |
Prohibited from use in packaging |
|
Heavy metals, including lead (Pb), hexavalent chromium and mercury |
1990 |
Prohibited from use in packaging |
|
Class I ozone depleting chemicals |
1993 |
Eliminated from use in development and manufacturing processes, and prohibited from use in products |
|
Asbestos |
1993 |
Prohibited from use in products |
|
Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) |
1993 |
Prohibited from use in products |
|
Lead (Pb) |
1993 |
Prohibited from use in plastic housings and paints |
|
Hexavalent chromium |
1993 |
Prohibited in inks, dyes, pigments and paints used for IBM products |
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Mercury |
1993 |
Prohibited from use in IBM parts or assemblies. Specific exemptions (e.g., lamps) were added in 1999. |
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Cadmium |
1993 |
Prohibited from use in inks, dyes, pigments and paints |
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Cadmium |
1994 |
Prohibited from use in plastics and plating |
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Class II ozone depleting chemicals |
1995 |
Eliminated from use in development and manufacturing processes, and prohibited from use in products |
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Ethylene-based glycol ethers |
Mid-1990s |
Eliminated from use in development and manufacturing processes |
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Polyvinyl chloride |
Mid-1990s |
Prohibited from use in packaging |
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Cadmium |
Mid-1990s |
Prohibited from use:
|
|
Lead (Pb) |
1999 |
Prohibited from use in plastic resins |
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Tetrachloroethene |
2002 |
Eliminated 99.5% of the use in development and manufacturing processes. Prohibited from new applications. |
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Hexavalent chromium |
2002 |
Prohibited from plastic resins |
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Dichloromethane |
2003 |
Eliminated from use in development and manufacturing processes |
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Polyvinyl chloride |
2007 |
Prohibited from system enclosure parts in new products after 2007 |
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Tetrabromobisphenol A |
2007 |
Prohibited as an additive flame retardant in system enclosure parts for new products after 2007 |
|
Specific perfluorinated compounds (PFOS and PFOA) |
2007 |
Prohibited from new IBM manufacturing, development and research processes; prohibited from any known application in existing processes after December 31, 2009 |
