Introduction
As a core link in the global supply chain, the electronics manufacturing industry directly impacts the health and safety of approximately 15 to 18 million workers worldwide. However, a single electronic product may contain thousands of chemical substances, many of which possess potential hazards. Without effective exposure control measures, these chemicals can pose a serious threat to worker health.
As society and the market increasingly demand sustainability, companies, consumers, and investors alike expect electronic products to embody higher environmental, health, and safety standards alongside performance.
To address this challenge, IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries) and the Clean Electronics Production Network (CEPN) jointly released the Guide to Safer Alternatives in Electronics Manufacturing. This guide provides companies with a systematic, four-step roadmap to achieve green, safe manufacturing transformation goals.
Step 1: Identify Hazardous Chemicals in Processes and Products
The first task in achieving safer substitution is raising awareness and accurately identifying hazardous chemicals currently used in processes and products.
As early as the 1980s, reports of increased health risks among semiconductor workers drew industry attention to chemical hazards. In processes such as circuit board manufacturing, workers frequently handle chemicals used in etching, plating, coating, and cleaning—particularly volatile solvents—thereby facing significant exposure risks.
Companies should focus on specific categories of hazardous substances and actively promote their phase-out or substitution. During the identification process, companies can reference multiple authoritative standards for high-hazard chemicals to identify priority substances for elimination, such as:
Type | Example Hazardous Substances | Primary Hazards |
Heavy metals/ metalloids | e.g., Lead, Chromium VI, etc. | Associated with carcinogenicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, and developmental toxicity. |
Organic solvents | e.g., Trichloroethylene, Toluene, etc. | May exhibit carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, etc. |
Flame retardants | e.g., 3,3′,5,5′-Tetrabromobisphenol A, etc. | May exhibit carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, and bioaccumulation, etc. |
Plasticizers | e.g., Dioctyl phthalate, Diisodecyl phthalate, etc. | May exhibit reproductive toxicity, carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, etc. |
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) | e.g., PFOS，PFOA, etc. | May be associated with carcinogenicity, developmental toxicity, and persistence. |
To identify chemicals requiring priority elimination, enterprises should reference authoritative high-hazard standards, such as California Prop 65, GreenScreen® Benchmark-1 substances, and ChemFORWARD Hazard Band F chemicals.
Furthermore, hazard classifications under the GHS (covering carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, sensitization, and acute/chronic toxicity) provide a key foundation for comprehensive evaluation.
Particular attention must be paid to avoiding 'regrettable substitution'—simply replacing the original substance with a chemically similar hazard. Consequently, a full assessment is mandatory before implementing any substitution.".
Step 2: Secure Internal Support for Replacing Hazardous Chemicals with Safer Alternatives
After identifying hazardous chemicals, the second step is to secure support across all levels of the organization to drive the shift toward safer alternatives.
Adopting safer alternatives not only effectively protects worker health but also delivers significant commercial value to the enterprise:
Reduced regulatory compliance costs and risks;
Reduced risk of worker injury and illness;
Increased market competitiveness by meeting or exceeding customer requirements;
Reduced risk of supply chain disruption due to regulatory phase outs; and
Support for Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability programs and goals
Apple’s practices in environmental protection provide a compelling example. Apple has designated "Smarter Chemistry" as one of its three key sustainability priorities. By collaborating with Clean Production Action (CPA), they established the GreenScreen Certified™ standard for cleaners and degreasers, driving the comprehensive adoption of safer alternatives across all final assembly plants. This achievement has been sustained since 2018, proving that scaling safer alternatives is entirely feasible even in complex electronics manufacturing environments.
Step 3: Identify and Implement Safer Alternatives
Once internal support is secured, the company enters the core implementation phase: applying safer alternative solutions. This process can be approached from two levels:
1. Seeking Safer Chemical Ingredients
Suppliers and R&D teams for formulations (e.g., cleaning agents) can utilize assessment frameworks and lists to explore safer chemical ingredients:
ChemFORWARD SAFER™: Leveraging its chemical hazard assessment database to help supply chains identify safer alternatives. All candidate product ingredients are audited and assigned a hazard band by third-party assessors.
GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals: A widely used method for comparative chemical hazard assessment, classifying chemicals into a series of Benchmark 1 (Avoid—Chemical of Concern) to 4 (Prefer—Safer Chemical).
US EPA Safer Choice: This program maintains the Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL), which lists ingredients evaluated to be safer than traditional chemical ingredients.
TCO Accepted Substance List (ASL): Substances on this list must meet specific safety standards, such as being rated GreenScreen Benchmark 2, 3, or 4, or ChemFORWARD Hazard Band A, B, or C.
Enhesa Scivera LENS®: A GHS-based online chemical hazard assessment platform that classifies chemicals into five categories based on results: Black (High Hazard), Red (High Hazard), Yellow (Moderate Hazard), Green (Low Hazard), and Gray (insufficient data).
2. Seeking Safer Chemical Products
Procurement teams and others can directly search for lists of certified safer products:
ChemWorks: A collaborative project supported by Apple and managed by ChemFORWARD, listing safer cleaners and degreasers that meet industry-leading certification standards after assessment.
GreenScreen Certified™ for Cleaners & Degreasers: This certification requires products to meet criteria regarding disclosure, Restricted Substance Lists (RSLs), hazard assessment, and analytical testing.
ChemSec Marketplace: A platform where suppliers can showcase alternatives to hazardous chemicals. Products here must meet specific human health and environmental standards, such as containing no intentionally added SVHCs in concentrations above 0.1%.
TURI (Toxics Use Reduction Institute): Located at UMass Lowell, TURI provides the CleanerSolutions™ database. It aggregates testing data from the TURI lab to help companies find safer alternatives.
ToxFMD Screened Chemistry®: Conducts human health and environmental toxicity assessments on all discloseable chemical substances and assigns a product score from 0 to 50.
US EPA Safer Choice: Assesses finished products and all their ingredients against specific human health and environmental criteria. Compliant products are listed on the EPA website and may carry the Safer Choice label.
Step 4: Stay Informed on New Developments in Safer Alternatives
Chemical substitution is a process of continuous optimization. Companies must establish mechanisms to track the latest developments in safer alternatives in a timely manner.
While the electronics manufacturing industry has traditionally relied on Restricted Substance Lists (RSLs) and Manufacturing Restricted Substance Lists (MRSLs), the use of Positive Lists—such as the TCO ASL and EPA Safer Choice SCIL—has recently gained traction, providing the industry with clearer direction for substitution.
To keep information current and drive practical implementation, companies should focus on the following platforms and collaborative projects, integrating them into their chemical management systems, such as::
ChemFORWARD: An open chemical hazard assessment and data-sharing platform dedicated to expanding the availability of safer chemicals.
Clean Production Action (CPA): Promotes the elimination of high-hazard substances through tools like GreenScreen® and supports companies in establishing systematic management mechanisms.
In Conclusion
To accelerate the adoption of safer chemicals, companies can take the following key measures: form cross-functional teams and conduct professional training; secure management support; develop implementation plans according to the step-by-step guide; and increase R&D investment to drive the development and scaling of alternatives.
Simultaneously, active participation in industry organizations such as ChemFORWARD, TCO, and CPA allows companies to remain sensitive to the latest technologies and standards, thereby strengthening their sustainable competitiveness.
REACH24H Consulting Group, as a professional chemical compliance and consulting service platform, plays a vital role in driving corporate green transition.
As the first and currently the only GreenScreen and ChemFORWARD authorized assessor in Asia, REACH24H not only provides professional assessment and certification services but also assists companies in utilizing green alternative assessment tools. This enables the early identification and reduction of hazardous substances, thereby extending product market life and reducing legal risks and regulatory pressure.
For more information and inquiries, please feel free to contact us at customer@reach24h.com.
