LCA as a tool for creating a circularity roadmap for Finnish semiconductor industry

The semiconductor industry forms the backbone of modern societies by providing advantageous technologies for instance for health care, energy and automotive industries. However, semiconductor manufacturing requires large amounts of resources, like energy and water, which causes significant environmental impacts that are accelerated by the growing demand of semiconductors, rapid innovation cycles and increased process complexity.

In this study, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted based on real data of a lab-scale cleanroom to identify hotspots of semiconductor manufacturing. Both the carbon footprint and the water footprint were included in the assessment. Water consumption is a critical issue especially in semiconductor manufacturing facilities in water-scarce areas. Furthermore, the aim was to scale up the results to high volume manufacturing so that these results can be compared with industrial processes. In sensitivity analysis, the geographical dimension, abatement efficiencies of fluorinated compounds and impact of varying die yields were explored, together with potential measures for improving recovery of critical raw materials.

To better understand the industry’s perspective, Finnish companies in the semiconductor industry were interviewed on how they interpret and utilize life cycle information. Additionally, sustainability reports of major semiconductor companies were analyzed to get an overview of implemented circularity measures to reduce their impacts and to compare with the critical issues identified in the LCA study. All in all, this study will provide information for creating a roadmap for sustainable Finnish semiconductor industry, aiming to address the areas of improvement based on the identified hotspots and find ways to turn the challenges into opportunities while increasing the degree of circularity in manufacturing processes. Additionally, the aim is to increase cooperation among value chain actors, as this is seen essential from the circularity perspective.