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Marcy’s Musings: The Many Facets of Sustainability

"We don't need to have a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need a million people doing it imperfectly." —Anne Marie Bonneau (Zero Waste Chef)

I borrowed this quote from the world of cooking and online influencers because it speaks to the reality of how to make a real and continuous impact when large-scale change is ultimately needed. We’re all doing things to further economic and environmental sustainability within our organizations, and we’re likely operating on a spectrum that ranges from doing nothing to doing it all perfectly. I find it heartening to learn and understand the continuous efforts in sustainability practices as we work toward systems like zero liquid discharge across the board (pun intended).

Sustainability is one of the most widely used terms in business today, especially for electronics and manufacturing. Oxford defines it as “the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.” When we talk about sustainability, we most often think of environmental sustainability, or the ability to operate our businesses in a way that does not hurt or deplete our natural resources and our global environment. For most business owners, though, sustainability primarily means their ability to continue doing business.

In this month’s issue of PCB007 Magazine, we look at sustainability in some of its flavors and forms and the impact this buzzword is having on our industry. As IPC’s lead sustainability strategist, Dr. Kelly Scanlon, has said, the concept of sustainability applies to many other areas, including the economy, training, and education.

To kick off this issue, we interviewed technologist and entrepreneur Alex Stepinski. I am fortunate to have conversations with many intelligent, genuine contributors to the industry, but Alex is in a class by himself. Alex addresses zero liquid discharge and the technology changes making it more affordable for even smaller-sized manufacturers.

As I continued exploring the wide-ranging concept of sustainability, I was intrigued by the idea of recyclable PCBs and circularity. Is it a myth or possibility? In a fascinating interview, Jan Pedersen of NCAB Group explained the concepts as well as the groundwork being laid to make it an eventuality.

For further clarity, Nolan Johnson spoke with Erik Pedersen of ICAPE Group, a global PCB supplier, about designing for sustainability and the cost to achieve the ultimate value proposition for customers. We invited Charles Nehrig of TTM, the U.S.’s largest PCB manufacturer, to detail the investment and technology that make up TTM’s wastewater treatment system. And Marina Hornasek-Metzl of AT&S provides an accounting of the paradox of digitalization and reaching environmental sustainability goals, acknowledging the enormous amount of waste created by electronics while there is a corollary need for more electronics to be made to create solutions that could help solve climate change. She also discusses how digitalization ultimately can provide the semiconductor industry with the means to achieving its ESG goals—something that affects all of us in the value chain.

Among our talented columnists in this issue, I’m highlighting those who took on the topic of sustainability from their unique perspective. IPC President and CEO Dr. John W. Mitchell gives us a broad overview, while Don Ball of Chemcut talks about reducing etch water system usage, and Paige Fiet writes aabout attracting “generation green.” If you have potential job openings (i.e., that means all of you), pay close attention to her advice, as the young generation of workers and their values come in a package, and the environment is one of them. But be sure to also read the important topics from columnists Happy Holden, Travis Kelly, Steve Williams, and Preeya Kuray, who writes about the importance of standards in the chip packaging industry.

Finally, the ever-talented Pete Starkey reviews a new webinar from SUSS that discusses the use of inkjet solder mask, showing development in this area of additive manufacturing. Also, look for my interview with two newer members of IPC’s government relations team in Washington, D.C.

So, whether your sustainable practices range from fewer Styrofoam coffee cups in the break room to switching out large systems in your factory, there’s always something more to do and think about. I hope this issue brings to light some new ideas and/or helps to reinforce the path you are on.

Grab a cup of coffee (in your reusable mug!), turn on your DND, and let’s read and learn together. I’d love to hear your feedback on the topics addressed in this issue.

This column originally appears in the March 2024 PCB007 Magazine, The Sustainability Issue.