The manufacturing processes that transform a wafer into hundreds of individual die include the use of chemicals and materials such as acids, bases and solvents for depositing, patterning, selectively removing and cleaning.
We maintain an active program for continuous reduction of hazardous chemicals in the manufacturing process, and our objective is to reduce landfill disposal and identify new recycling opportunities for any waste we produce.
This starts with a rigorous chemical review process that ensures only approved chemicals reach our facilities. This prevents banned or restricted chemicals from reaching our operations and helps us ensure the proper handling, recycling and disposal of chemicals throughout their lifecycle. It also helps us track and understand our chemical usage profile for assessment of chemical reduction and elimination initiatives.
Beyond chemical screening, we perform due diligence on all new waste vendors to make sure their practices meet applicable legal requirements and safeguard the surrounding environment. If a waste facility passes this evaluation, Micron updates the assessment on a periodic basis to ensure the consistent and effective management of waste materials over time.
In the past few years, we have taken several measures to reduce and manage hazardous substances and waste at various sites:
Given our dynamic industry, we keep abreast of any developments that could present new risks or opportunities related to hazardous substances. We are committed to exploring methods to reduce chemical consumption and waste production, as well as identifying new opportunities to increase our waste recycle rate.
Micron also engages our employees in waste reduction. Employees can earn rewards for participating in our global wellness program, which includes tips for saving energy and water and reducing waste at home. Employees can also compete to win the Desirable Trash Award by taking home nonhazardous scrap material from their workplace that would otherwise be landfilled or incinerated and upcycling it into new and beneficial uses.