Electronic manufacturing: Toxic chips

Context

Semiconductor manufacturing involves over 400 chemical substances, many of them toxic. Some contain known carcinogens like sulfuric acid and naphthalene, while nearly 40% include undisclosed trade-secret chemicals, leaving workers and society in the dark about long-term environmental and health risks.

Dilemma

Do you:
A) Maintain current practices to meet market demand and keep trade secrets protected—minimizing disruption, but continuing to expose workers and the environment to potentially hazardous chemicals.
B) Slow production to audit chemical use, invest in safer alternatives, and push for transparency—even if it delays product launches and risks losing market share.

Summary

The climate crisis demands urgent action from the electronics industry, where production harms workers and the environment. Public procurement, a key economic driver, must enforce sustainable practices under EU Directive 2014/24/EU, prioritizing labor rights and environmental protection. Semiconductor manufacturing uses toxic chemicals, endangering workers and polluting communities, while mining for minerals fuels human rights abuses. Despite clean reputations, electronics firms often neglect worker safety and transparency. Public buyers should demand ethical sourcing, safer production, and worker empowerment through unions and health committees. A Just Transition requires integrating social and environmental policies to reduce harm and ensure sustainable, equitable industry practices.

Resources:

• https://electronicswatch.org/electronics-watch-policy-brief-3-the-climate-crisis-and-the-electronics-industry-labour-rights-environmental-sustainability-and-the-role-of-public-procurement_2574400.pdf