Printed circuit board producers urged to seek green solution
(China Daily)
The printed circuit board (PCB) industry is vital to manufacturers of computing components, automotive parts, cellular phones, flat-screen television displays and other devices considered essential to our modern lifestyles.
In addition to a large number of PCB enterprises in Taiwan, many PCB operations are located in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces.
Among them are leading PCB makers earning hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenues and employing thousands of workers.
They also spend huge sums on environmental protection, including the disposal of manufacturing wastes from production processes and everyday operations.
The major pollution source of PCB industries is the copper content in the spent etchant and wastewater streams.
Traditionally, liquid resin is used to chelate spent etchant, forming copper ions and converting them into a copper sulfate solution for industrial applications.
Although this process can recover most of the copper from PCB waste streams, a considerable amount of the metal is unrecoverable. This metal is discharged into the environment, which can cause severe water pollution problems.
For any major plant, the daily amount of wastewater, along with untreated sludge, can total thousands of tons. This wastewater and sludge contains copper and also lead, tin and other metals used in soldering processes.
Stricter environmental protections adopted in recent years have forced PCB manufacturers to seek new technologies to promote better, yet cost-efficient waste recycling methods.
Shortly after the State Council announced its 4 trillion yuan stimulus package to boost the domestic economy, attention turned to reviving industrial sectors battered by the ongoing global economic crisis.
During a series of meetings by the State Council in January and February this year, an "industrial restructuring" policy was adopted that focused on "10 key sectors." The PCB industry is among those key sectors.
The government asked that PCB manufacturers focus on two elements: cleaner production (CP) and a circular economy (CE) to make this industry environmentally clear and economically stronger.
A semi-annual PCB technical conference in May at Suzhou, Jiangsu province, answered this CP/CE challenge with green technology sessions and economic discussions.
Hundreds of Chinese companies were represented - all eager to learn innovative technologies and international market trends.
Papers were presented on energy-saving measures, emissions reductions and also proposed CP/CE practices.
Seven universities in Taiwan established an incubator to study "best practice" CP/CE applications at the Center for Innovation and Incubation at Chung Yuan University.
The center has invited the participation of industry representatives, academic institutions and the government.
A persistent challenge is the incomplete recovery of copper from plant discharges, wastewater and sludge.
A recovery procedure recently developed by Taiwan-based Trinity Resource Technology Inc has employed a CP/CE solution.
The procedure involves separating copper compounds from wastewater in a way that recovers most of the copper, resulting in near-zero discharge.
Through a chemical treatment method operated outside the plant premises, the recovered copper compound is purified to form copper oxide, which can be recycled and used in the PCB electrolysis process.
Trinity is working with Chung Yuan University to build a pilot plant employing this new procedure.
This new approach is an example of the innovation that is being sought by the PCB industry to produce useful, profitable and environmentally sound products.
The author is a scientist and advisor to Trinity Resource Technology Inc of Taiwan
China PCB manufacturer SAYFU Technology production type 产 品 类 型
■高频印制板（ＨＦＰＣＢ）：适用微波传输电子产品
High frequency PCB(HFPCB):suitable for electric products
with microwave transmission
■双面印制板（DPCB）：基材FR4
Double-sided PCB(DPCB):with base material of FR4
■多层印制板(MPCB)：基材FR4、PP
Multi-layer PCB(MPCB):with base material of FR4 and PP
■高密度印制板（HDIPCB）：含埋/盲孔，适用BGA电子产品
High-density PCB(HDIPCB):including built-in/blind holes,
which is suitable for BGA electric products
■铝基印制板：贝格斯铝基板，适用大功率散热电子产品
Bergquist Aluminum based board:suitable for electric products with high power heat dissipation
■多层盲孔板：适用仪器电子产品
High and multilayer printed circuit board with blind&buried via boards:suitable for instrument electric product
■厚铜板（3-10 Oz）和厚金板：适用电源产品
Heavy copper boards (3-10 Oz) and heavy gold board:suitable for power printed circuit board product
■软硬结合板：适用电脑、工业控制产品
Rigid-flex or Flex-rigid boards:suitable for computer and industry control products.
■软板(柔性线路板)：适用电脑、工业控制产品
Flexible printed circuit boards (FPCB):suitable for computer and industry control products.
(Note: China PCB manufacturer SAYFU Technology specially produces on rigid printed circuit board; printed wiring board; mulitlayer printed circuit board; flex-rigid printed board, rigid-flex printed board; metal core printed board; heavy copper coard; power board; heavy gold board; Flexible board/Flex PCB; Bergquist Aluminum based board/Al PCB; Metal Core PCB; PCB/PWB/FPCB/FPC/MPCB/Rigid-Flex PCB)
SAYFU Contact way:
Tel#+86-755-26417916
Fax#+86-755-26417917
sales@sayfupcb.com
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