Silicon Storage Technology, Inc. was one of the first electronics companies to produce bromine-free semiconductors. The most formidable hurdle the company had to overcome was discovering a bromine-free molding compound to encapsulate its semiconductors. Eventually the company found a multiaromatic resin (MAR ) formulation that was both bromine-free and able to withstand the higher solder temperatures needed to comply with RoHS’ lead-free solder requirements. By 2008, 100 % of SST’s… …
Sony Ericsson’s phones are now 99.9% bromine and chlorine-free, and the company plans to end its use of PVC in external charging systems by the end of 2009. Sony Ericsson’s decision to cease using halogens in its phones was motivated by the fact that a large proportion of electronic waste is exported for inappropriate waste-management, in spite of ambitious regulations and product take-back systems developed by producers and operators. In May 2008, Sony Ericsson began implementing a… …
Seagate is the world’s largest manufacturer of hard disk drives, and approximately 50 % of the disk drives Seagate ships today meet halogen-free specifications. Hard disk drives comprise several hundred individual components that Seagate sources from between 250 to 300 suppliers, and bromine and chlorine had to be eliminated from the hard drives’ printed circuit boards, circuit cabling, adhesives, and plastic housings. Seagate’s implementation of an automated Compliance… …
Nan Ya and Indium both surmounted numerous obstacles to achieve their ultimate successes in producing bromine and chlorine-free materials for use in printed circuit boards (PCBs). Nan Ya is the world’s largest supplier of the rigid laminates used to connect PCBs’ insulating layers, and it was one of the first to produce halogen-free laminates that performed as well as the halogen-containing FR- 4 industry standard. Indium developed a new halogen-free solder paste that negates the… …
DSM Engineering Plastics was one of the first chemical companies to offer a range of halogen-free products that can be used in electronics. DSM Engineering Plastics overcame technical, performance, and cost challenges to produce its new bromine and chlorine free high-temperature plastics. These new products can be used as PVC replacements for electronic wires and cables as well as internal and external electronic connectors. …
Apple restricts nearly all uses of brominated and chlorinated compounds, at the elemental level, from its products. Customers can now purchase products like the iPod shuffle, nano, and touch, and the iPhone that are free of brominated flame retardants (BFR s) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Apple’s iMac and Macbook products are free of all BFR s and PVC with the exception of PVC use in external wires. Apple had to work with suppliers to change the composition of hundreds of parts, including… …
Moving away from bromine and chlorine Electronics manufacturers, standards bodies, and legislators have begun to take notice of the human health and environmental concerns associated with the use of brominated and chlorinated compounds in electronic products. An array of conflicting definitions and policies have emerged to address these concerns at various levels. This report is intended to show the feasibility of reengineering consumer electronic products to avoid the use of these… …