The seminar on the recovery and reuse of high-purity sulfuric acid at semiconductor plants was successfully held in Shanghai.

　　On April 27, 2017, the “Semiconductor Plant High-Purity Sulfuric Acid Recycling and Reuse Seminar,” hosted by the Integrated Circuit Materials and Components Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance (hereinafter referred to as the “Alliance”) and organized by Haikou Group and Shanghai Xintan Venture Capital Co., Ltd., was held in Shanghai. Attending the seminar were over thirty representatives, including He Yi, Senior Engineer at the State Environmental Protection Administration; Song Yang, Deputy Director of the High-Tech Division of the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission; Zhu Huan and Jiang Ling from the Social Development Division; Chen Xiaoliang from the Shanghai Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau; Qu Ruijing, an expert from the China Circular Economy Association; Fan Dongmei, Deputy Secretary-General; Li Chong, Secretary-General of the China Sulfuric Acid Industry Association; Shi Ying, Secretary-General of the Alliance; Yin Qingyuan, Vice President of Haikou Group; Zhang Sheng’an, General Manager of Xintan Company; and representatives from companies including SMIC (Shanghai) Integrated Circuit Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Shanghai HuaLi Microelectronics Co., Ltd., Shanghai HuaHong Macrochip Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Jiangyin Jianghua Microelectronics Materials Co., Ltd., Duofluoride Chemical Co., Ltd., and Shijiazhuang Chengzhi Yongsheng Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. The participants engaged in an in-depth discussion on topics such as the green development path for sulfuric acid recycling and reuse in the semiconductor industry and the implementation plan for Haikou Group’s demonstration project.

　　Ms. Shi Ying, Secretary-General of the Alliance, chaired the meeting and pointed out that the recycling and reuse of semiconductor chemicals can bring significant economic and social benefits by protecting the environment, conserving resources, promoting green manufacturing, and advancing sustainable development. However, at this stage, realizing the primary-level reuse of chemicals used in semiconductor manufacturing still faces numerous challenges that require coordinated efforts and solutions—ranging from process technologies and Fab plant management coordination to regulatory oversight by environmental protection authorities and operational models. Moreover, there is currently a lack of industry standards to guide this process. Therefore, active participation from relevant enterprises and industry regulators is essential. The primary-level reuse technology proposed by Haikoh Group, along with the establishment of a demonstration project, will serve as an excellent model for others to follow.

　　Shi Ying, Secretary-General of the Strategic Alliance for Technological Innovation in the Integrated Circuit Materials and Components Industry, presided over the opening ceremony.

　　Seminar venue

　　Representatives from semiconductor manufacturing companies such as SMIC, HuaLi Microelectronics, and HuaHong Macro discussed, from the perspective of end-users, the current status of waste acid treatment and their aspirations for primary-level reuse. They pointed out that, as China’s integrated circuit manufacturing capabilities continue to improve and fab facilities expand in scale, the demand for high-purity sulfuric acid in the production process has been growing exponentially. Consequently, the volume of waste acid generated has surged rapidly, and the costs associated with the disposal of hazardous chemical waste have risen significantly—issues that have become major challenges for every wafer fabrication plant. Companies including Jianghua Microelectronics Materials Co., Ltd. and Chengzhi Yongsheng Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. shared their experiences and insights in the recycling and reuse of related chemicals. Participants engaged in a lively discussion on the current state of waste acid treatment, the pressing issues that need to be addressed, and best practices that the industry could draw upon.

　　He Yi, a senior engineer at the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and Qu Ruijing, an expert from the China Association for Circular Economy, respectively provided interpretations of relevant environmental protection policies from two perspectives: the status of hazardous waste pollution prevention during the 13th Five-Year Plan period and the current state of environmental management of waste sulfuric acid in China. Song Yang, Director of the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, and Chen Xiaoliang from the Shanghai Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau introduced the current regulatory situation of the semiconductor hazardous waste chemical recycling industry by Shanghai’s environmental protection authorities. They emphasized that the recycling and reuse of hazardous waste chemicals from the semiconductor industry are of immense significance and urged relevant enterprises to actively participate and promote the development of advanced technologies in this field.

　　Yin Qingyuan, Vice President of Haikou Group, engaged in face-to-face discussions with the attending representatives on five key aspects: site selection for the pilot project, profit model, establishment of a central analytical laboratory, government qualification approvals, and user acceptance. He emphasized that, as a chemical enterprise committed to the concept of sustainable development, Haikou Group must not sacrifice the environment or society at large as part of its growth process. He expressed hope that the pilot project plan would be refined and implemented as soon as possible.