Proc. Nadl. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 89, pp. 812-814, February 1992 Colloquium Paper

This paper was presented at a colloquium enitlkd "Industrial Ecology," organized by C. Kumar N. Patel, held May 20 and 21, 1991, at the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC. Approaches to eliminating chlorofluorocarbon use in manufacturing WALTER S. BOYHAN AT&T-Environment and Safety Engineering, 131 Morristown Road, Room B-2218, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920

ABSTRACT Until quite recently, chlorofluorocarbons potential magnitude of the consequences of ozone depletion (CFCs) had been considered the safest and most benign of are equally unprecedented in recorded human history. industrial chemicals. Their physical and chemical properties made them an integral part of manufacturing processes for Internal Efforts to Eliminate CFCs electronics products. The recognition that CFCs destroy the stratospheric ozone layer, with consequent enormous conse- For manufacturing in 1986, AT&T used =3 million pounds of quences to all forms of life on earth, has led to international CFCs. About 62% of this was for defluxing of printed wiring agreements which will end virtually all production of these boards after soldering; 33% for degreasing and drying; and materials by the end of the century and possibly before. This the balance for cooling or blow-off, plasma and doping impending phaseout of CFCs has caused electronics manufac- processes, condensation soldering, and foam packaging. turers to examine alternative chemicals and processing meth- Over 96% of this material was CFC-113. ods. This manuscript documents the steps AT&T has taken to Top-down management support for CFC phaseout took the reach its goal of 100% phaseout of CFCs by year-end 1994. form of goals announced in 1989 by a council of upper These actions include top-down management support with managers and formally approved by the CEO and Board of combined bottom-up thrusts, an internal information gather- Directors. These goals were to reduce the emissions ofCFCs ing and dissemination center, internal technology transfer, and from manufacturing operations by 50% by year-end 1991 and external corporate activism. by 100%o by year-end 1994. These goals exceeded national and international regulations and agreements for elimination of CFCs. As a corporation, we have already achieved our Historically, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have been among 1991 goal (see Fig. 1). Several AT&T plants in the United the most useful and safest of industrial solvents. They are States and in Asia have already reached the 1994 goal of nonflammable, nonexplosive, noncorrosive, stable, effec- complete elimination of CFCs from manufacturing opera- tive, and efficient. From an industrial hygiene standpoint, tions. The ways in which these goals have been met are they have very low toxicity (both acute and chronic), they are described below. nonirritating, nonsensitizing, and have only a slight, nonob- When the original announcement was made that CFCs jectionable odor. would soon be eliminated, the news was greeted by disbelief For electronics manufacturing purposes, the work-horse by many design and production engineers and researchers solvent has been CFC-113 (1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroe- alike. A quick survey ofexisting solvents indicated that there thane). This material has highly selective solvency, with the was no single material that could be used as a drop-in ability to remove oils and greases without affecting most replacement for CFC-113. To make matters worse, the Lon- plastics, elastomers, and code markings. It forms azeotropes don Amendments to the Montreal Protocol will result in the with many other chemicals, such as methylene chloride and phaseout of methyl chloroform, one of the most logical acetone, allowing the creation of solvents with a broad range substitutes for many existing applications of CFC-113. Even of properties which can be specially tailored to a variety of the hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), originally expected tasks. With suitable surfactants, it also readily forms emul- to become interim substitutes for the next 20 or 30 years, may sions with water, further extending its versatility. be subject to severe restrictions and an earlier phaseout, if These beneficial aspects of CFCs are outweighed, how- new observations confirm increasing destruction of ozone. ever, by the possibility that they have the potential to destroy Eliminating CFCs, as with any other major change in a all life on earth through depletion of the stratospheric ozone process, has potentially enormous consequences. One is layer and/or by exacerbating global warming. asking production people, whose rating depends, at least in The potential for CFCs to destroy ozone was first predicted part, on the quality and quantity ofthe product they turn out, in 1974 (1) and confirmed by measurements in the mid-1980s to eliminate a material that has been proven over many years (2). In response, an international agreement called the Mon- of effort, and replace it with new chemicals and processes, treal Protocol, and subsequent London Amendments, was with properties, limitations, and problems that have yet to be created and ratified by some 60-70 of the world's developed discovered. and developing nations. In its present form, it requires the To promote the phaseout of CFCs from AT&T's manu- end of production of most CFCs, carbon tetrachloride, and facturing operations, a bottom-up approach was initiated methyl chloroform (1,1,1-trichloroethane) within the next 10 with the formation of a corporate committee early in 1989 to years or so. coordinate activities worldwide. The committee has repre- The Montreal Protocol represents an unprecedented de- sentatives from each ofthe manufacturing locations, the Bell gree of cooperation between nations in a remarkably short Laboratories, and the Environment and Safety Organization. period oftime. Ofcourse, it must also be appreciated that the Abbreviations: CFC, chlorofluorocarbon; HCFC, hydrochlorofluo- The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge rocarbon; ODC, ozone-depleting chemical; VOC, volatile organic payment. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" compound; ICOLP, Industry Cooperative for Ozone Layer Protec- in accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact. tion. 812 Downloaded by guest on September 24, 2021 Colloquium Paper: Boyhan Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89 (1992) 813 LBS. (MILLIONS) ergy management, projected resource requirements, heavy metals, cradle-to-grave design and manufacture (a.k.a. in- dustrial ecology). As efforts to phase out CFCs progressed, experience was accumulated on the types of problems and concerns occur- ring at a number of locations. Rather than have each location "reinvent the wheel" or, worse, choose a different solution to a problem than was in keeping with current corporate thinking, a guidebook was created to summarize conclusions, observations, and directions. 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 This guidebook provides language for developing contracts YEAR for refrigeration service and for purchase and use of pack- m EMISSIONS + GOAL aging that is free ofCFCs. It also describes other procedures, including those for disposal of surplus stocks of CFCs and FIG. 1. CFC emissions from AT&T manufacturing. maintenance of halon fire suppression systems. The guidebook provides an appendix which explains CFC This committee meets at 6- to 8-week intervals to discuss nomenclature (for example, which atoms make up CFC-141a problems, describe new technologies, and review progress and how it is different from CFC-141). It also provides being made towards achieving our goals. Outside vendors synonyms and selected physical and environmental proper- frequently make presentations at the meetings to advertise ties of CFCs, HCFCs, hydrofluorocarbons, fluorocarbons, their services and products. Minutes of the meetings and and other chemicals which may be used to replace the CFCs. other pertinent information are published and distributed throughout the company. External Influences to Eliminate CFCs Local task forces were appointed at each manufacturing location to track and coordinate elimination of CFCs. These On January 1, 1990, an import tax was levied on the amount activities ranged from installation of major new systems to of CFCs contained in or used to manufacture certain im- confiscation of individual spray cans from production and ported products. The tax was based on $1.37 per pound of maintenance employees. ozone depletion potential, multiplied by the ozone depletion Operations at individual AT&T facilities are largely auton- potential of the CFC used to manufacture the product, omous. Most manufacturing plants have their own engineer- multiplied by the pounds of CFC used to make each unit, ing and environmental staffs. Two or more factories, manu- based on the predominant method of manufacture in the facturing similar products, may actually bid against one United States. This resulted in a tax on telephone sets and another for the right to make a product. Within the limits answering machines of -$110 per thousand units. For FAX allowed by the product specification, two factories manufac- machines, the tax was -$25 per thousand units. For inte- turing the same item may use quite different production grated circuits, the tax is $0.22 per thousand devices. For methods. This autonomy has created an atmosphere of high volume, high tax items a considerable savings can be competition, exploration, innovation, and initiative among realized if imported goods are manufactured without the use plants, which has reduced costs and fostered the develop- of CFCs. ment of valuable new products and processes. It is in this The potential savings in import taxes justified surveying atmosphere that the local CFC phaseout task force operates. our suppliers of high volume, high tax items. The survey was The need for effective communication cannot be overem- expanded to include all taxable imported items to allow us to phasized. For a program as comprehensive as the phaseout forcefully inform our original equipment manufacturers, their of CFCs, all communications media were used. Local news- suppliers, and their suppliers' suppliers that we wanted them letters, corporate reports, committee minutes, annual stock- to phase out their use of CFCs and other ozone-depleting holders' meeting, electronic newsletters, posters, and spon- chemicals (ODCs) as soon as possible. sored events have all proven valuable in creating a climate The labeling requirements of the new clean air act also which promotes elimination of CFCs at all levels of the provide additional impetus for eliminating ODCs used by our company. factories and their suppliers. It may become a requirement to CFCs are strongly favored by shop personnel. They have label all products made with, or containing, ODCs. The only a slight, innocuous odor. They evaporate quickly and American public is becoming increasingly aware of environ- leave no residue. And they effectively do the job needed of mental issues and is likely to avoid those products which are them. To eliminate the last usage of CFCs at several facto- perceived to have potentially harmful impacts. ries, it was actually necessary for the local coordinator to One factor frequently overlooked in discussions of the physically remove spray cans from the tool boxes and relative merits of CFCs versus their substitutes is the pro- benches of workers. One local coordinator observed that jected cost of CFCs. Within a very few years the cost of "you don't make any friends when you get rid of CFCs." CFC-113 and other CFCs will be so high as to preclude their This attitude was frequently observed in engineers and pro- use in any application where there is an acceptable substitute duction workers alike. To overcome this resistance, the local (see Fig. 2). coordinator needs all the help and support he or she can get. In 1988, the cost ofa pound ofCFC-113 was less than $0.80 A corporate level goal issued by the CEO is an essential part per pound. In 1990, an excise tax of about $1.10 per pound of this support. became effective. Scheduled increases in this tax and the An interesting consequence of the corporate-wide effort to inevitable increases in manufacturers' prices as supplies phase out CFCs has been recognition of the need to expand dwindle are currently projected to increase the cost to almost coordinating efforts to other areas of the company's opera- $8.00 per pound in 1999, or nearly $100 per gallon. tions. Corporate committee meetings gathered engineers and The excise tax portion of the costs shown in Fig. 2 is managers to one location periodically. During discussions it already fixed by the U.S. Congress. However, if new mea- soon became apparent that additional subcommittees were surements of stratospheric ozone concentration continue to needed to address other common problems. At this time, the indicate more rapid depletion than originally projected, it following subcommittees are functioning: CFC phaseout, seems certain that the tax rate will be increased and/or the product waste minimization, office waste minimization, en- tax phase-in schedule will be shortened. Downloaded by guest on September 24, 2021 814 Colloquium Paper: Boyhan Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89 (1992) $/POUND is needed. This allows elimination of the flux removal opera- 8.00 tion after soldering, a nonvalue added process. (iv) Esters and other hydrocarbons: A number of suppliers have been pro- moting a variety of hydrocarbons as substitutes for CFCs. In specific applications they may have considerable merit. (v) Conductive epoxies: Work is being done using conductive 6.00 epoxies to fasten components to circuit boards. This technol- ogy, in addition to reducing cost and improving yield and reliability, eliminates the need to remove flux, since the entire soldering operation is eliminated.

4.00 Elimination of CFCs in Packaging

In June of 1989 the Purchasing and Transportation organi- zation informed its buyers that, when writing new contracts, they would require that all packaging sold to AT&T for its 2.00 use, or used for products sold to AT&T, neither contain nor be made from CFCs. Instructions were issued early in 1990 that as of July 1, 1990, no CFCs were to be used in any packaging used by or shipped to any AT&T location. This was to comply with 0.00. regulations in several states which prohibited such packag- 198819891990 199119921993199419961996199719981999 ing. YEAR END In packaging, CFCs had been used extensively as blowing agents for foam-in-place urethane, flexible and rigid urethane FIG. 2. Cost of CFC-113. slab stock, foamed polyethylene, and for the loose-fill styrene "peanuts." At this time, all these materials are available in Substitutes for CFCs in Manufacturing Operations non-CFC formulations. Interestingly, the foam coffee cup, popularly but incor- Materials used to deflux or degrease electronic products rectly called Styrofoam, and the molded expanded polysty- should have many of the following properties: nontoxic, rene inserts used to ship video display terminals, computers, noncarcinogenic, nonflammable or high flash point, biode- and other electronic equipment have been severely criticized gradable (but low biochemical oxygen demand), easily dis- by the popular press and environmental activists for their use posable, no ozone depletion potential, no phosphates, no of CFCs. These materials never used CFCs-they were chelates, no or low volatile organic compounds (VOCs), fast always blown with pentane, isobutane, or other paraffinic evaporating, low vapor pressure, noncorrosive, no or mini- hydrocarbons. mal residue, compatible with aqueous processing, skimmable (to facilitate oil removal). No single solvent, even CFC-113, provides all of these properties. In fact, some properties are External Initiatives incompatible with others. It is important to remember that substitutes are usually not Ozone depletion is not a local or national problem; it is global. simple to find and install. In industry, it takes at least 2 years want to until the In recognition of this fact, the United States Environmental from the time you decide what you do firms necessary equipment is installed, adjusted, and modified to Protection Agency, AT&T, and several other major produce a reliable production facility. A major innovation founded the Industry Cooperative for Ozone Layer Protection may take 10 years or more to implement. (ICOLP). The intent of this organization is to provide the Another major concern is the need to consider the long- developing nations with the technology needed to allow them term consequences of any substitutes. We have to evaluate to leapfrog over the use of CFCs as their industries develop. alternatives to be certain that in relieving ozone depletion, we ICOLP is developing an on-line data base, accessible to are not instead contributing to tropospheric ozone genera- anyone with a computer and modem. It will provide data on tion, global warming, waste disposal problems, energy con- new technologies, material properties, and other information. sumption, etc., which is the very essence of this colloquium. Some potential substitutes for CFCs include (i) Aqueous: Conclusions Use of water-soluble fluxes may allow plain water to remove residues from specific products. Detergents and monoethanol amine provide additional cleaning effectiveness, but disposal Eliminating CFCs from our manufacturing operations at first may be a problem. In all cases, the product must be able to seemed to be an impossible task. However, work performed "swim"-that is, it must be capable offull immersion in water. by many people, some of it started long before a CFC (ii) Semiaqueous: Terpenes, surfactants, and water create phaseout was contemplated, has created a variety of substi- cleaning agents that, in some cases, are actually superior to the tutes. Alternative solvents, aqueous solutions, semiaqueous CFCs they replace. The product must be water immersible, solutions, and a number of no-clean options have already since rinsing is required. Also, energy requirements are con- reduced our emissions by half. A complete phaseout by the siderably higher, the materials present a fire hazard, they have end of 1994 seems assured. a very strong odor, and are VOCs. In spite ofthese drawbacks, we have successfully used terpenes. They perform as well or better than the CFC processes they replace, and they cost less 1. Molina, M. J. & Rowland, F. S. (1974) Nature (London) 249, to operate. (iii) No clean: A process has been developed to 810-812. 2. Rowland, F. S. (1989) Am. Sci. 77, 36-45. apply a low-solids flux, in the amount required, just where it Downloaded by guest on September 24, 2021