by Titanas
Border Waste Wi$ e Partnership
City of San Diego
City of Tijuana
Cal-EPA, Integrated Waste Management Board
U.S. EPA
Science Applications International Corporation
Autonomous University of Baja California
San Diego State University
Products, Processes and Wastes
The macroelectronics industry covers 1) the assembly of microelectronic components, such as printed circuit boards, into larger electronic products like computers and consumer electronics and 2) the fabrication of housings for these products.
Electronics manufacturing includes a wide array of processes specific to the products produced. The primary steps of the manufacturing process are: receiving raw materials, processing materials, manufacturing the product, and storing, packaging and shipping finished products.
Manufacturing products generally follows these four steps: 1) Materials and preassembled subparts are placed in boxes or totes for access by production staff. 2) Prefabricated printed circuit boards (PC boards) undergo surface mounting and/or manual/automatic insertion processes which are then followed by wave soldering and water jet washing. Finished PC boards are connected to testing devices to ensure they function properly. 3) Other components are assembled with the PC boards and the product is placed in its housing. 4) Products are tested and rejects are separated. Most electronics manufacturers have a very low reject rate (1 to 2%).
Solid wastes generated from these processes include component wire trimmings (or “pins”) which can either be loose or adhered to a paper backing, circuit board trim materials, plastic component reels, plastic integrated circuit packing tubes, scrap electrical components and circuit boards, rejected parts, cleanup rags, general office waste, white and colored paper, packing materials (includes polystyrene, cardboard, paperboard, wood pallets, and plastic bags, anti-static bags, bubble-wrap, shrink wrap, open cell foam), scrap labels, and label backing paper.
Plants that have cafeterias or food service/break areas also generate food
wastes, glass and plastic containers and other wastes typically associated with serving food. Food wastes are a large percentage total waste by weight at plants that have cafeterias. For example, Sony’s plant generates a very large amount of food wastes because the company serves 5,000 meals a day.
Examples of solid wastes generated by products manufactured (percentage, 1996)
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