Lead and halogen materials have been used by the entire electronics industry for decades. And concerns have risen around the impact they're having on our environment. Intel integrates environmental performance goals into every aspect of our design and manufacturing. That's why we've moved to lead-free in our 45nm high-k metal gate process technology and why we're making the additional move to halogen-free products in 2008.¹
The road to lead-free¹
For years Intel has worked with the industry to develop lead-free solutions. In 2002, Intel produced its first lead-free flash memory products. In 2004, we began shipping 95 percent lead-free microprocessor packages.
A great deal of engineering work was required to remove the remaining lead. Intel engineers developed the manufacturing processes enabling us to be lead-free beginning with our 45nm Hi-k metal gate family of microprocessors. This represents a dramatic transition to new, more environmentally responsible materials.
Progressing to halogen-free¹
Intel is introducing halogen-free packaging technology for its processor and chipset products starting in 2008, and will convert most of its 45nm processor and 65nm chipset products to halogen-free packaging technology by the end of 2008.² Developing halogen-free technology also required extensive collaboration with our suppliers to ensure that all performance and reliability goals were achieved with the replacement material. First to convert will be Intel's "Menlow" platform for mobile Internet devices.
Intel's transition to halogen-free products was not government mandated, but driven by our goal to eliminate the use of environmentally sensitive materials. The move to halogen-free products marks another step in our continual march toward minimizing the environmental footprint of our products, processes, and technologies.
Reducing environmental impact
The removal of lead and halogen demonstrates once again Intel's commitment to developing more earth-friendly products. Here are some of the other ways we've made an impact:
- Saved over 9 billion gallons of fresh water through our water reuse and recycling practices
- Recycled more than 70 percent of our chemical and solid wastes
- Reduced our global warming gas emissions the equivalent of removing 50,000 cars from the road
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