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Waste Reduction

Waste and Air Pollution Management

Topics Waste Management
Policy
  • ESG Policy and Environmental Policy
Commitment
  • Comply with the environmental regulations, respond to the concept of "reduce, reuse and recycle", implement energy-saving and waste reduction, and support green procurement
Division
  • All Divisions/Facility & Environment Division
Resources Invested
  • Improve process technology to reduce the pollutants in the production process
  • Training Environmental Specialists
Grievance Mechanism
  • There is a hotline/mailbox for whistleblowing, which will be forwarded by each contact person to the responsible unit for confirmation and then respond to the interested party
2022 Targets
  • Waste recycling rate >90%
Actions
  • Reduce raw material consumption and the amount of waste
  • Increase the rate of waste recycled
2022 Achievements
  • Waste recycling rate: 91.3%


Unimicron's main businesses are the manufacturing, processing and sales of printed circuit boards, high-density interconnect printed circuit boards, flexible printed circuit boards, rigid-flex PCBs, carrier boards, and IC test and pre-burning systems. In order to grasp its impact on the environment in the value chain, the Company evaluates the process from raw material procurement, product design, manufacturing process to waste generation, searches for environmentally friendly materials, reduces waste in its own manufacturing process, and implements waste sorting and recycling, reducing the impact of operations on the environment.



The manufacturing process of printed circuit boards generates solid waste and highly concentrated waste liquids, which can be harmful to the environment if not properly handled. Therefore, we attach great importance to the operation of waste management system, and storage, transportation and disposal of waste inside and outside the factory to prevent pollution and hazards from occurring. In particular, in waste management, qualified firms are screened and commissioned to handle waste, and a strict firm review and audit mechanism is in place. In 2022, a total of 62 waste firms were audited, and the treatment was in full compliance with relevant laws and regulations, and no waste leakage occurred. Since Unimicron is not the manufacturer of end products, it is not easy to track the final disposal methods or the recycling status of the products used, so we cannot quantify the relevant data.

Waste Management

The waste generated in the plant is divided into two major categories, General Industrial Waste and Hazardous Industrial Waste, and the quantities are recorded by weighing. In 2022, the total output of various types of waste was 121,000 tons, and the volume of General Industrial Waste was 39,000 tons, of which 35,000 tons (90.0%) was the weight of waste diverted from disposal and 4,000 tons was the weight of waste directed to disposal; the volume of Hazardous Industrial Waste was 82,000 tons, of which 75,000 tons (91.9%) was the weight of waste diverted from disposal and 7,000 tons was the weight of waste directed to disposal, with an overall reuse rate of 91.3%.

In order to promote the sustainable cycle of resources, we adopt the thinking of circular economy to effectively recycle resources and reuse waste plastics, reduce the waste of raw materials in the manufacturing process, and reduce the consumption of raw materials. Due to the increase in production capacity in some plants in Taiwan, the amount of Hazardous Industrial Waste produced has increased. In terms of total waste generation intensity per unit of revenue, it was 0.86 metric tons per million of revenue in 2022, a 29% decrease from 2021.

Waste Generation and Waste Recycling

Item Region Unit 2021 2022
Waste Generation Taiwan and Mainland China Metric Ton/Million in Revenue 1.21 0.86
Waste Recycling % 91.6 91.3

Waste Generation
(Unit: Metric Ton)

Region Category Directed to Disposal Diverted From Disposal Total Waste
2021 2022 2021 2022 2021 2022
Taiwan General Industrial Waste 1,458 1,205 27,578 26,736 29,036 27,941
Hazardous Industrial Waste 3,921 4,580 23,532 30,938 27,453 35,518
Subtotal 5,379 5,785 51,110 57,674 56,489 63,459
Mainland China General Industrial Waste 2,654 2,699 10,474 8,431 13,128 11,130
Hazardous Industrial Waste 2,539 2,063 54,338 44,473 56,877 46,536
Subtotal 5,193 4,762 64,812 52,904 70,005 57,666
Total 10,572 10,547 115,922 110,578 126,494 121,125

Waste Diverted from Disposal
(Unit: Metric Ton)

Region Category Sub-category Onsite Offsite Total
2021 2022 2021 2022 2021 2022
Taiwan General Industrial Waste Reuse 0 0 0 0 0 0
Recycling 0 0 0 0 0 0
Others 0 0 27,578 26,736 27,578 26,736
Subtotal 0 0 27,578 26,736 27,578 26,736
Hazardous Industrial Waste Reuse 0 0 0 0 0 0
Recycling 0 0 0 0 0 0
Others 0 0 23,532 30,938 23,532 30,938
Subtotal 0 0 23,532 30,938 23,532 30,938
Total 0 0 51,110 57,674 51,110 57,674
Mainland China General Industrial Waste Reuse 0 0 0 0 0 0
Recycling 2 0 5,189 6,890 5,191 6,890
Others 3,348 0 1,935 1,541 5,283 1,541
Subtotal 3,350 0 7,124 8,431 10,474 8,431
Hazardous Industrial Waste Reuse 0 0 390 326 390 326
Recycling 6,901 5,586 37,004 37,098 43,905 42,684
Others 9,316 676 727 788 10,043 1,464
Subtotal 16,217 6,262 38,121 38,211 54,338 44,473
Total 19,567 6,262 45,245 46,642 64,812 52,904
Note 1: In 2021, the classification of waste was revised, so the data was revised retrospectively.
Note 2: The definition of Reuse is checking, cleaning, or repairing operations, by which products or components of products that have become waste are prepared to be put to use for the same purpose for which they were conceived. The definition of Recycling is reprocessing of products or components of products that have become waste, to make new materials. Others include resource recovery, electrolytic recovery, chemical replacement, and refining recovery.
Note 3: Onsite means within the report boundary of the Unimicron Facilities. Offsite means the scope that Unimicron entrusts to external suppliers.
Note 4: We separate the waste by “The Waste Disposal Act" in Taiwan Facilities and “The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Environment Pollution Caused by Solid Wastes” in Mainland China Facilities. The hazardous waste in Mainland China is equal to Hazardous Industrial Waste in Taiwan.

Waste Directed to Disposal
(Unit: Metric Ton)

Region Category Sub-category Total
2021 2022
Taiwan General Industrial Waste Incineration(with energy recovery) 1,196 1,097
Incineration(without energy recovery) 0.22 15
Landfilling 261 93
Other Disposal Operations 0 0
Subtotal 1,458 1,205
Hazardous Industrial Waste Incineration(with energy recovery) 2,077 2,653
Incineration(without energy recovery) 0 0
Landfilling 1,656 1,790
Other Disposal Operations 188 137
Subtotal 3,921 4,580
Total 5,379 5,785
Mainland China General Industrial Waste Incineration(with energy recovery) 0 0
Incineration(without energy recovery) 2,024 2,268
Landfilling 0 0
Other Disposal Operations 630 431
Subtotal 2,654 2,699
Hazardous Industrial Waste Incineration(with energy recovery) 0 0
Incineration(without energy recovery) 2,539 2,063
Landfilling 0 0
Other Disposal Operations 0 0
Subtotal 2,539 2,063
Total 5,193 4,762
Note 1: Other disposal operations are defined as solidification.
Note 2: Unimicron's direct disposal of waste in 2021 and 2022 was entrusted to external supplier for cleaning and disposal.

Waste Reduction

2022 Waste Reduction and Outcomes

Site Strategies Contents Outcomes Unit
Unimicron Introduction of SRF treatment method: Reduce the amount of waste incineration Reduce the amount of incineration 849 Metric Ton/Month
Precious metal recycling improvement: Introduce palladium plate-containing precious metal recycling treatment. Increase the amount of palladium recovered 7.7 Kg/Month
Unimicron (Shenzhen) ENIG adjustment of nitrate tank: Reduce outsourcing disposal cost of nitrate waste liquid. Reduce outsourcing 9 Metric Ton/Month
Unimicron (Suzhou) Acid waste reuse: Evaluate and introduce acidic palladium recovery equipment. Increase the amount of palladium recovered 1,635 G/Month
Filter waste reduction: Introduce the filter-drying machine, with a weight reduction rate of 47.5%. Reduce the weight of filter waste 87 Metric Ton/Month
Nickel waste reduction: Introduce the nickel concentration system, with a weight reduction rate of 90.4%. Reduce the weight of nickel waste liquid 19 Metric Ton/Month
Film residue reduction: Introduce the steam film residue dryer, with a weight reduction rate of 63.0%. Reduce the weight of film residue 58 Metric Ton/Month
Waste liquid reduction: Introduce a three-effect evaporation system, with a weight reduction rate of 90.4%. Reduce the weight of high organic waste liquid 8,207 Metric Ton/Month
Unimicron (Kunshan) Concentration system for nickel-containing waste liquid: Reduce the outsourcing disposal cost of nickel waste liquid. Reduce outsourcing 128 Metric Ton/Year
Drying equipment for waste film residue: Reduce the outsourcing disposal cost of waste film residue. Reduce outsourcing 215 Metric Ton/Year
Unimicron (Huangshi) Add a filter spin dryer. Reduce outsourcing 12 Metric Ton/Month
QunHong Technology Introduce palladium resin recovery in the palladium washing sink body of the production line. Increase the amount of precious metals recovered 344 Kg/Month
Increase the recycling benefits of gold tailings. Increase the amount of precious metals recovered 100 Kg/Month

2023 Waste Reduction Strategies and Expected Outcomes

Site Strategies Expected Outcomes
Unimicron Continue to introduce SRF treatment to reduce the amount of waste incineration. Reduce incineration
Introduce film slag acidification and dehydration facilities to reduce the water content of film residue outsourced for treatment. Reduce outsourcing
Unimicron-FPC (Kunshan) Introduce nickel reduction facilities to reduce outsourcing disposal costs for nickel waste liquid. Reduce outsourcing
QunHong Technology Sorting and recycling of bakelite boards Increase the weight of recycled bakelite boards
Newly added paper container recycling items Reduce the weight of general garbage disposal

2022 Waste Reduction Projects

Title

Reduce the amount of general waste incineration.

Content

In order to reduce the dependence on incineration of company-wide general waste, review and improve the treatment of incineration waste.

  • Elimination of recyclables in general waste → Revision of general waste sorting criteria
  • Introduction of new recycling technology for bakelite boards → Introduction of SRF production to bakelite boards
  • Increase the amount of plastic waste from the process to be reused → Introduction of SRF production to plastic waste
2022 Achievements

Reduced waste incineration and landfill by 1,216.8 tons/year.


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