How can the expectations of natural resource conservation and waste elimination be achieved in highly critical cleanroom manufacturing environments?

Environmental responsibility is no longer just an occasional headline in the news. It is expected socially and often mandated governmentally. Every day the public is demanding a decreased impact on the environment and an improvement to their quality of life globally. Every day new environmental regulations are introduced and government agencies are mandating change. In response, companies are announcing or improving “green” or “environmental responsibility” programs as their commitment to creating a better world. Initiatives to conserve our natural resources, eliminate operational waste, and produce more environmentally-friendly products are now both a corporate and customer expectation.

This article will focus on cleanroom consumables in the form of cleanroom wipers with a brief discussion included on cleanroom bond. The concepts of reduce, reuse, recycle, and biodegradability will be presented along with how to apply these concepts in cleanroom wiper and bond selection for reduced environmental impact. The most common cleanroom wiper materials will be presented with information about biodegradability or recyclability. Also, included will be product alternatives and methods of use that can lessen the overall consumption of wipers and limit the depletion of natural resources, such as high performance product selection and alternative packaging configurations. The article will further discuss pre-wetted wipers and their impact on volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and alcohol solution waste. In closing, wiper options will be presented that reduce landfill impact through higher degrees of biodegradability when recycling is not an option.