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As our industry grapples with environmental sustainability in our products and processes, per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) naturally come up in discussion, especially as they pertain to advocacy and government regulations. Kelly Scanlon, lead sustainability strategist at IPC, provides some basic education (or re-education) around PFAS, and the discussion and activity surrounding them. This is a complicated topic area that is prone to misunderstanding and misinterpretation.
In its simplest definition, PFAS is a group of chemicals used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. Fluoropolymer coatings can be in a variety of products. Though this definition is not inaccurate, it can be misleading. Depending on who you ask, there are upward of 10,000 PFAS chemistries that can meet various definitions. Given this lack of confluence in an agreed-upon working definition of PFAS, as well as agreement as to all the chemicals that fall under that moniker, answering questions regarding PFAS with clarity and undisputed accuracy is a challenge.
Regarding PFAS, there are many regulatory activities at the local through national levels in various jurisdictions around the world. Though some of these questions may seem prosaic, the answers are not easy because all questions regarding PFAS tend to be politically fraught.
IPC has engaged in policy actions related to PFAS in the U.S. and the EU. These have been multi-year engagements, and the regulations are only slowly emerging given the complexity of the chemicals and their uses.
What products and/or processes are PFAS chemicals prevalent in as they relate to electronics manufacturing?
Kelly Scanlon: We do not have a definitive list of PFAS uses in electronics. This is because of several important factors, including the complexity of electronics, the complexity of PFAS, and the inability to have full supply chain transparency for all chemicals. There are several sources of information about the uses of PFAS in electronics manufacturing processes and products. Some are more reputable than others, but there is no definitive list.
To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the March 2024 issue of PCB007 Magazine, click here.
