Water strategies and practices for sustainable development in the semiconductor industry
Qi Wang,
Nan Huang,
Hanying Cai,
Xiaowen Chen,
Yinhu Wu
Affiliations
Qi Wang
Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
Nan Huang
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China; Corresponding author.
Hanying Cai
Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control of Shenzhen, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Urban Water Recycling and Environmental Safety, Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
Xiaowen Chen
Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
Yinhu Wu
Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing, 100084, China
Semiconductor manufacturing is a rapidly growing industry and water-intensive industry. Water strategy formulation and decisions can be crucial factors in realizing the sustainable development of the semiconductor industry. This study surveyed the sustainability reports of 24 semiconductor corporations and investigated their water strategies and practices. Water targets proposed in the early stage of the 21st century are summarized. Water recycling, reuse, and restoration were the main strategies. Reverse osmosis played a dominant role in water treatment and reclamation. Classified wastewater collection and separate treatment systems have contributed greatly to improvement of water recycling rate in industrial parks. Finally, a future water cycle system for semiconductor manufacturing parks is proposed, which comprises water source, water use and recycling, and water discharge. This study is of theoretical and practical significance for the formulation and implementation of water strategies in the semiconductor industry to help accomplish its sustainable development with rapid growth.
