Product-related Environmental Protection
Our products and innovations are enablers for energy efficient end-products and applications and are subject to an unique life-cycle analysis approach for the optimization of the environmental footprint. Infineon introduced the environmental friendly materials before the law emplacement.
Long before legislation focused on product-related environmental regulations, Infineon Technologies had already established comprehensive approaches within the supply chain to ensure utmost performance. Infineon Technologies is moving towards working exclusively with new environmentally friendly materials in the manufacture of its products. This commitment is part of our IMPRES policy.
As the environmental efficiency of our production facilities and the environmental benefits opened up by our products ably demonstrate, innovation and responsibility for the environment are two sides of the same coin for Infineon. Using our products is thus also a smart move from an ecological point of view, it “makes sense” for the environment.
Benefits through our products
A company’s environmental footprint does not end when its products leave the factory gate: any analysis must also include proper consideration of the products’ use-phase. Ultimately we have to consider whether the consumption of resources involved in product manufacturing actually “makes sense” from an ecological viewpoint. Mindful of this, Infineon provides products that not only help to improve security and enable mobility, but also facilitate the realization of energy-efficient concepts and end products across an enormous range of fields and applications.
The following selected examples give an idea of the powerful implications of our accomplishments in this area:
- Our products and solutions in automobile enable annual reductions equal to 3,8 million tons of carbon dioxide eq.
- Our products and solutions for PC power supplies enable annual reductions equal to 140.000 tons of carbon dioxide eq.
- Our products and solutions for electronic ballasts enable annual reductions equal to 330.000 tons of carbon dioxide eq as compared with conventional magnetic ballasts.
The numbers and our calculated indicators show that in our case at least, the consumption of resources involved in manufacturing our products really does make sense from an ecological viewpoint: the volume of emissions (expressed in each case in carbon dioxide equivalents) saved in end products thanks to the use of our products and solutions is almost seven times as high as the volume of emissions generated in the manufacture of our products.
What matters more than anything else in this connection is that we put our professed social and environmental principles into practice proactively every day in our production facilities, in our products and in everything we do. Infineon, moreover, applies these selfsame principles worldwide: national boundaries have no part to play when it comes to caring for people and the environment.
RoHS and ELV legislation and Green Products
In 2000, Infineon initiated the project "Green Product" in order to meet the legal as well as even more stringent quality requirements by modifying soldering processes.
Infineon “Green Products” are in compliance with the European RoHS Directive** (2011/65/EU) which restricts the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment as well as in compliance with the European End-of-Life Vehicle Directive (2000/53/EG).
We wanted to go further and therefore in April, 2009 the DA5* consortium, which is leaded by Infineon, was formed in order to address and mutually define the direction of Pb-free solder Die Attach-technology development.
For Infineon, the main reason to join the consortium was the identification of sustainable, enduring, standardized, reliable and dependable solutions for our customers.
The main objective of the consortium was the joint development of semiconductor suppliers to address and mutually define the direction of Pb-free solder Die Attach-technology development. For this reason, DA5 is working together with material suppliers to find feasible solutions for lead-free die-attach. Material suppliers are participating in the solution finding process and are encouraged to approach DA5 with their solutions.
*Die Attach – 5
** Restriction of Hazardous Substances
