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 Altis and the Environment: a proactive approach
As a corporate citizen, Altis Semiconductor implements a proactive environmental approach. Aware of the requirements linked to the production of semiconductors, Altis, like many companies in the sector, tries to minimize its impact on the environment by reducing its consumption of energy, water and chemicals and by limiting and recovering the waste generated.
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Policy
The environment: a day-to-day concern
The semiconductor industry is not known for heavy pollution. However, manufacturing processes entail physical and chemical reactions involving a number of liquid or gas chemicals.
Environmental protection has therefore been a primary concern at the Corbeil-Essonnes/Le Coudray-Montceaux site since it opened. Preventive measures were gradually implemented to preserve both the environment and the lifestyle of the local population.
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Important dates
- 1978 : introduction of a 4,600 m3 basin to collect
any polluted water before being released into the Seine
- 1991 : installation of a machine to treat the release of organic
air emissions from production facilities
- 1994 : discontinuation of the use of chlorinated solvents
- 2002 : set-up of the ammonia treatment facility
- 2004 : set-up of the colloidal silica treatment facility
- 2005 : repairing the lagoon’s basins
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Two major focuses of the Altis environmental policy
Prevent accidental pollution and risks
The site operates continuously with the help of a centralized computer technical management system which is used to check the purification facility and different treatment facilities.
An internal Fire Prevention department, made up of 22 professional firemen, ensure surveillance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This team is directly linked to the regional Fire department and can rapidly reach them in the event of an emergency.
Fight against the greenhouse effect
Perfluorocarbon (PFC) gases are used to clean reaction rooms or in etching processes. These inert and non-toxic gases have the advantage of a simple and risk free implementation for the staff. However, they have a strong greenhouse effect and have a long life span once in the air.
Global authorities governing the semiconductor industry are committed to reducing PFC emissions. By 2010, PFC emissions should be reduced by 10% compared with 1995, regardless of growth in the industry in the meantime.
In addition to compliance with these international objectives, Altis is committed to a proactive approach, proven by the installation of the first production machine that did not release PFC gases on its site in 2001.
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The Altis environmental policy in facts and figures
- Nearly EUR 40 million invested between 1991 and 2003 in environmental
protection.
- In the past decade, Altis has reduced its consumption of electricity
by nearly 20%.
- Considerable efforts in terms of saving and recycling water have been
made. Since 1998, the existing program has saved over 1 million m3 per
year.
- The sorting of non hazardous waste at the source in order to recover
materials and better recover special industrial waste enabled us to
reduce waste discharged to less than 10% in 2003 (versus 25% in 2002).
All of the sludge in purification facilities (1,500 tons) is now recovered
by cement plants. In 2005, Altis joins the ADEME Project : the objective
is to decrease the amount of wastes from -10%.
Standards and awards received
- Altis has been certified based on the ISO 14001 environmental management
standard since 1998 for all of its production activities (ISO
14001 certificate).
- Altis received the "Pure water - Clean water" award from the Seine-Normandie
Water Agency in 1994 for its prevention of accidental pollution.
- The specialists at Altis participate in various work groups in the
areas of security and the environment, in particular within our professional
associations in France (SITELESC) and Europe (ESIA).
- March 10th 2005, Serge Lepeltier, Minister for Ecology in visit on
Altis’ site explains his wish to reconcile economy and ecology.
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ALTIS POLICY