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Contamination
Handle, store and dispose of all potential contaminants and hazardous substances at all sites, in a manner to meet or exceed the strictest environmental standards of any community in which we operate
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Semiconductor manufacturing requires the use of potentially contaminating chemicals and gases. In 1996 we adopted a very rigid policy to assess the impact of new chemicals on environment, safety and health. This states:
“No new production or non-production chemical and no product containing a new chemical will be brought on-site until it has been evaluated. No new equipment requiring the use of a new chemical will operate on the site until the new chemical has been evaluated for its potential impact on the environment or on the site's environmental control/abatement system”.
Spills or leaks of acids, solvents, fuel or other chemicals are a potential hazard to land and groundwater. This is why liquid chemicals are surrounded by containment structures to prevent contamination if there is an accidental spill or emergency. In manufacturing areas, chemicals and toxic substances are stored in separate and clearly marked containers. In the chemical stations, the loading points of the different chemicals are mechanically differentiated to avoid any accidental mixing.
Supplying chemicals in bulk containers (instead of several smaller ones) and piping to the point of use reduces the risk of spills. Other preventive measures are also in place, such as double-skinned pipes, automatic leak detection, and abatement systems.
ST emergency preparedness has two main steps: first, assess risk of sudden releases of chemicals and other noxious materials; second, plan for emergency response if preventive measures fail.
All sites have an emergency response team composed of:
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an emergency coordinator with overall responsibility for organizing and coordinating the response to an emergency
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specialized emergency response teams
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people in charge of contacting key personnel and public authorities
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adequate emergency response equipment and at least one emergency on-site control center
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The site emergency plan includes:
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description of the environment surrounding the site
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summary of major accident scenarios and relevant responses
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emergency response organization staffing plan; emergency contact lists
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location of on-site control center(s); evacuation paths and location of assembly points
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location of emergency response equipment and resources
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clean up procedures
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maintenance of incident log book
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mutual aid resources, where applicable; in such a program, the companies in an industrial zone agree on mutual aid should an emergency occur - fire teams, for example
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Some sites use “just-in-time” chemical delivery to minimize chemical inventory.
Ground wells at the up-gradient and down-gradient of every site have also been installed to track the quality of the groundwater flowing underneath manufacturing sites. Analyses are made at least once a year, and more often if there is a potential concern.
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