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JUNE 2022 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 19 taining equipment, using modes of transport with low C0 2 emissions, reorganizing pro- cesses with a view to preserving resources, and reducing the carbon impact. CSR and Manufacturing e manufacturing industry has a strong impact on the environment contributing to pollution and social cost. Consequently, CSR is a means for reducing the negative effects linked to manufacturing activities, but also of increasing long-term performance and the confidence of stakeholders. e demand for circuit boards and technical parts used in hundreds of millions of everyday products comes at a significant environmental cost, as well as a social and human cost. Some solutions have been put in place to overcome this and others are in development. Greener materials and practices Environmental impact has long been a chal- lenge for the PCB industry. Many companies and factories are strong proponents of sus- tainable manufacturing. PCB manufactur- ers have the option of using new environmen- tally friendly processes and materials such as 3D printing, additive processes, high precision screening, and new pastes for conductive and dielectric applications, etc. It is now possible to use green solvents to help make the man- ufacturing process safer, more efficient, and more sustainable. The Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive RoHS certification, adopted by the Euro- pean Union in 2003 and extended in 2011, prohibits the use of toxic substances in cir- cuit boards and has achieved global compli- ance from importers, distributors, and manu- facturers. Toxic materials prohibited by RoHS include: • Lead • Mercury • Cadmium • Hexavalent chromium • Polybrominated biphenyls • Polybrominated diphenyl ethers • Four classes of phthalates In addition to eliminating these chemicals from PCB manufacturing processes, RoHS compliance also covers any plating or finish- ing applied to electronic products and creates documentation of compliance and non-com- pliance. While the original RoHS also applies to things surrounding the boards—components, subassemblies, and wiring—RoHS 2 covers all electrical/electronic equipment, cables, and components. RoHS 3 lists additional phthal- ates as hazardous. Compliance with the RoHS directives leads to the application of a CE mark on the products. Factories around the world are implement- ing ways to conserve energy and reduce envi- ronmental impact. For example, some facto- ries are or have installed geothermal energy systems. is geothermal heat pump sys- tem should reduce the cost but, above all, the energy consumption. e certification of environmental man- agement systems, ISO 14000, helps organiza- tions demonstrate their ongoing commitment to environmental performance. is certifi- cation demonstrates the adequate implemen- tation of an environmental management sys- tem in accordance with the requirements of the standard, meeting the requirements of cus- tomers, and stakeholders and reducing water and energy consumption. e impact of carbon dioxide on the environ- ment has spurred the development of volun- tary global standards for measuring and report- ing carbon footprint products. is includes the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, cal- culated as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) equivalent, accumulated over the full life cycle of a prod- uct, from the production of raw materials to manufacturing, delivery, use of the product in the home, and ultimate disposal or recycling.