Overview

General comment

Production covered

Flexible 2-Layer fabrication. The system boundary runs from copper-clad polyimide laminate preparation and outer-layer imaging through drilling and via formation, plating and etching, coverlay lamination, surface finishing, and electrical test.

The selected OSP finish means low cost, flat surface, limited shelf life (~30% market).

Modelling choices

Process inputs are normalized from the authored panel-area basis to one square metre of good PCB; no separate board-nesting utilization factor is applied. The 85.0% first-pass yield gross-ups all panel-process inputs to the functional unit.

This PCB family has no operational scenario because surface finish is its only configurable production choice, and no fab gas-recovery scenario applies to a panel process. This dataset is modelled with no water reuse. No reclaim rate is published for this kind of plant, so the water shown is the full fresh intake and no recycling credit has been deducted from it.

Technology: Flexible 2-Layer
Geography: Global average data from PCB manufacturer data, IPC standards, and industry literature

System boundary

The figure groups this dataset's unit processes by class. It is not a count of manufacturing steps — each process runs over as many passes as the flow requires, and those pass counts ship with the dataset.

Download this figure (SVG)

Data quality and references

Composite DQI 1.9 Very good

Reliability

2.4

Completeness

2.7

Temporal

1.4

Geographic

2.0

Technological

1.3

Pedigree scores follow the ecoinvent data-quality matrix: 1 is the best attainable, 5 the weakest. The composite is their aggregate.

Sampling procedure: PCB manufacturer specifications, IPC standards, academic papers
Coverage status: Partial
Pedigree-scored source files: 10 — the source records behind this dataset's manufacturing operations. Each carries the five pedigree axes above; the composite DQI aggregates them.

Technosphere inputs

20 flows. Quantities are not published; they ship with the dataset on Circa.

Electricity, China (CN) ElectricitykWh · -10.2% / +20.1%

Derivation basis: Calculated from equipment energy across all manufacturing operations, plus the facility support a board shop runs: cooling for the lamination press and the plating baths, and treatment of the water the shop discharges.

The sources below come from the manufacturing operations behind this row.
Sources (inherited): Inherited, rolled up from the contributing process steps:

Nordelof 2019, DOI 10.1007/s11367-018-1491-3

Kewei Industries, "PCB Lamination Press Parameters."

AllPCB, "PCB Lamination Pressure."

MDPI, "PCB fabrication energy audit report," 2021

Kewei Industries, "Schmoll PCB Driller Specifications."

ESI, "5335 Via Drilling System Specifications."

Spectra-Physics, "UV Laser PCB Manufacturing," 2016
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: electricity, medium voltage
Uncertainty: -10.2% / +20.1% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: kWh

Fresh water WaterL · -34.6% / +33.7%

Derivation basis: Calculated from process-water demand across all manufacturing operations, plus cooling-tower makeup for the lamination press and the plating baths.

The sources below come from the manufacturing operations behind this row.
Sources (inherited): Inherited, rolled up from the contributing process steps:

ResearchGate, Water use in PCB manufacturing

Envirowise, Water use in PCB manufacturing

Patent CN102286761B, Acid Copper Additives

Patent US5151170A, Brightener Consumption

SysPCB, Inner Layer Process

NMFRC, Electroless Nickel Stoichiometry
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: tap water
Notes: Process and cleaning water
Uncertainty: -34.6% / +33.7% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: L

Sodium carbonate developer Process chemicalg · -59.9% / +350.6%

Derivation basis: Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: soda ash, dense
Uncertainty: -59.9% / +350.6% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Dry Film Resist Process chemicalg · ±25%

Source citations: dupont.com (date not recorded). DuPont, "Riston PlateMaster PM200" dry film photoresist product page. Vendor web page.
allenwoodsgroup.com (date not recorded). DuPont Riston PlateMaster PM200 Data Sheet, DS02-94 Rev 6.0 (07/07) (allenwoodsgroup-hosted). Technical data sheet.
allenwoodsgroup.com (date not recorded). DuPont, "Riston 200 Series" dry film photoresist data sheet, DS95-17 Rev 6.0 (07/07). Technical data sheet.
Background data: proxy-mapped
Background dataset: methyl methacrylate
Uncertainty: ±25% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Hydrochloric acid Process chemicalg · -34.6% / +74.3%

Source citations: ResearchGate, Water use in PCB manufacturing
Envirowise, Water use in PCB manufacturing
Patent CN102286761B, Acid Copper Additives
Patent US5151170A, Brightener Consumption
SysPCB, Inner Layer Process
NMFRC, Electroless Nickel Stoichiometry
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: hydrochloric acid, without water, in 30% solution state
Uncertainty: -34.6% / +74.3% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Hydrogen peroxide Process chemicalg · -34.6% / +74.3%

Source citations: ResearchGate, Water use in PCB manufacturing
Envirowise, Water use in PCB manufacturing
Patent CN102286761B, Acid Copper Additives
Patent US5151170A, Brightener Consumption
SysPCB, Inner Layer Process
NMFRC, Electroless Nickel Stoichiometry
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: hydrogen peroxide, without water, in 50% solution state
Uncertainty: -34.6% / +74.3% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Potassium permanganate Process chemicalg · -81.3% / +34.1%

Source citations: patents.google.com (date not recorded). US4601783A - High concentration sodium permanganate etch bath and its use in desmearing and/or etching printed circuit boards (Morton Thiokol Inc.; priority 1985-05-31; later MacDermid). Patent.
p2infohouse.org (date not recorded). Pagel, P. (Minnesota Technical Assistance Program), Waste Reduction at a Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing Facility Using Modified Rinsing Technologies, U.S. EPA WRITE Program, pp. 483-492. PDF document.
portlandcleanair.org (date not recorded). Atotech USA Inc., Material Safety Data Sheet: SECURIGANTH P-500 DOSING SOLUTION (Rock Hill SC; PMCODE PKV, 7 pp.). PDF document.
19january2021snapshot.epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. EPA Design for the Environment - Printed Wiring Board Pollution Prevention and Control Technology: Analysis of Updated Survey Results (grant #X 823856; update to EPA 744-R-95-006). Government report.
zsepb.zs.gov.cn (date not recorded). Zhongshan Dajin Electronics Co. Ltd, annual 5 million m2 circuit-board expansion and retrofit project, environmental impact report form (zhong shan shi da jin dian zi you xian gong si nian chan 500 wan ping fang mi xian lu ban gai kuo jian xiang mu huan jing ying xiang bao gao biao), December 2024, project code 2404-442000-04-01-964388. PDF document.
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: potassium permanganate
Uncertainty: -81.3% / +34.1% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Sodium hydroxide Process chemicalg · -30.3% / +45.5%

Source citations: ResearchGate, Water use in PCB manufacturing
Envirowise, Water use in PCB manufacturing
Patent CN102286761B, Acid Copper Additives
Patent US5151170A, Brightener Consumption
SysPCB, Inner Layer Process
NMFRC, Electroless Nickel Stoichiometry
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: sodium hydroxide, without water, in 50% solution state
Uncertainty: -30.3% / +45.5% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Neutralizer (sulfuric acid or HCl) Process chemicalg · -20% / +50%

Derivation basis: Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: sulfuric acid
Uncertainty: -20% / +50% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Copper sulfate pentahydrate Process chemicalg · -30.6% / +38.9%

Derivation basis: Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: copper sulfate
Uncertainty: -30.6% / +38.9% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Formaldehyde Process chemicalg · -20% / +40%

Source citations: Balaramesh, Venkatesan, Jayalakshmi et al. (2025). Balaramesh, Venkatesan, Jayalakshmi et al. - Influence of conventional and sustainable electroless baths on autocatalytic copper deposition. Scientific Reports. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-19231-z.
pcdandf.com (date not recorded). Practices for Sustainability in PCB Metallization. Web page.
nepis.epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1997). Design for the Environment Printed Wiring Board Project: Printed Wiring Board Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment: Making Holes Conductive, Volume 1 (Draft). Web page.
nepis.epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1998). Printed Wiring Board Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment: Making Holes Conductive, Volume 1. Web page.
2003. US3532519A - Electroless copper plating process. Metal Finishing. DOI: 10.1016/s0026-0576(99)80316-x.
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: formaldehyde
Uncertainty: -20% / +40% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Palladium catalyst Process chemicalg · -40% / +60%

Derivation basis: Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Background data: proxy-mapped
Background dataset: palladium
Notes: Proxy mapping uses 60% of the material mass.
Uncertainty: -40% / +60% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Sodium persulfate Process chemicalg · ±33.3%

Source citations: bureau-industrial-transformation.jrc.ec.europa.eu (2019). Reference Document on Best Available Techniques for the Surface Treatment of Metals and Plastics. PDF document.
bureau-industrial-transformation.jrc.ec.europa.eu (2025). Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for the Surface Treatment of Metals and Plastics. PDF document.
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: sodium persulfate
Uncertainty: ±33.3% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Sulfuric acid Process chemicalg

Derivation basis: Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: sulfuric acid
Uncertainty: No range defined.
Unit: g

Acidic surfactant cleaner Process chemicalmL

Derivation basis: Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: sodium hydroxide, without water, in 50% solution state
Uncertainty: No range defined.
Unit: mL

Polyimide Core Materialg

Derivation basis: Calculated by the manufacturing model. The linked REEL dataset carries the upstream life cycle sources.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Upstream REEL dataset: Polyimide (PMDA/ODA) ((C22H10N2O5)n)
Background dataset: Modelled by REEL; see the upstream dataset above.
Uncertainty: No range defined.
Unit: g

Adhesive Materialg

Derivation basis: Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: epoxy resin, liquid
Uncertainty: No range defined.
Unit: g

Copper Foil Materialg · -10% / +0%

Source citations: insulectro.com (date not recorded). Denkai America, "TOB-III High reliability electrodeposited copper foil" Technical Data Sheet, Rev May 4 2020 (Insulectro-hosted). Technical data sheet.
de.beta-layout.com (date not recorded). MSC-Ditron, "FR-4 copper clad Laminate EP-84" TDS, created 11/16/2006 (beta-layout-hosted). Technical data sheet.
eurocircuits.com (date not recorded). Eurocircuits, "Tolerances on Copper Thickness" (fabricator technical guideline).
z-zero.com (date not recorded). Z-zero (Bill Hargin), "Actual Copper Thicknesses (As Opposed to What You've Assumed)" (stack-up design house blog). Vendor web page.
pcbworld.com (date not recorded). PCBWorld, "Copper thickness" technology page.
Background data: proxy-mapped
Background dataset: copper, cathode
Uncertainty: -10% / +0% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Copper Plating Materialg · ±20%

Source citations: aivon.com (date not recorded). AIVON (Sophia Wang), "IPC 6012: A Detailed Examination of Hole/Via Plating Thickness Requirements", March 17 2026. Vendor web page.
jlcpcb.com (date not recorded). JLCPCB, "Optimize PCB Plating Thickness for Superior Durability" blog.
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset: copper, cathode
Uncertainty: ±20% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Coverlay Materialg

Derivation basis: Calculated by the manufacturing model. The linked REEL dataset carries the upstream life cycle sources.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Upstream REEL dataset: Polyimide (PMDA/ODA) ((C22H10N2O5)n)
Background dataset: Modelled by REEL; see the upstream dataset above.
Uncertainty: No range defined.
Unit: g

Outputs and waste

Wastewater Wastewaterm3 · -34.6% / +33.7%

Derivation basis: Calculated from the water balance: fresh-water input minus evaporation.

The sources below come from the manufacturing operations behind this row.
Sources (inherited): Inherited, rolled up from the contributing process steps:

ResearchGate, Water use in PCB manufacturing

Envirowise, Water use in PCB manufacturing

Patent CN102286761B, Acid Copper Additives

Patent US5151170A, Brightener Consumption

SysPCB, Inner Layer Process

NMFRC, Electroless Nickel Stoichiometry
Background data: carried, no background dataset
Background dataset: No treatment route recorded for this output.
Uncertainty: -34.6% / +33.7% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: m3

Stripped photoresist Solid wasteg · ±20%

Derivation basis: Calculated from the mass balance of spent materials and consumables, with treatment selected from the waste classification.

The sources below come from the manufacturing operations behind this row.
Sources (inherited): Inherited, rolled up from the contributing process steps:

dupont.com (date not recorded). DuPont, "Riston PlateMaster PM200" dry film photoresist product page. Vendor web page.

allenwoodsgroup.com (date not recorded). DuPont Riston PlateMaster PM200 Data Sheet, DS02-94 Rev 6.0 (07/07) (allenwoodsgroup-hosted). Technical data sheet.

allenwoodsgroup.com (date not recorded). DuPont, "Riston 200 Series" dry film photoresist data sheet, DS95-17 Rev 6.0 (07/07). Technical data sheet.
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12 treatment route
Background dataset: treatment of hazardous waste, hazardous waste incineration, with energy recovery
Uncertainty: ±20% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Developer sludge Solid wasteg · ±20%

Derivation basis: Calculated from the mass balance of spent materials and consumables, with treatment selected from the waste classification.

The sources below are this dataset's own bibliography. They are not tied to this row.
Source citations (dataset-level): Inherited from this dataset's own bibliography, not tied to this row:

dupont.com (date not recorded). DuPont, "Riston PlateMaster PM200" dry film photoresist product page. Vendor web page.

allenwoodsgroup.com (date not recorded). DuPont Riston PlateMaster PM200 Data Sheet, DS02-94 Rev 6.0 (07/07) (allenwoodsgroup-hosted). Technical data sheet.

allenwoodsgroup.com (date not recorded). DuPont, "Riston 200 Series" dry film photoresist data sheet, DS95-17 Rev 6.0 (07/07). Technical data sheet.

IPCC 2019 Guidelines Vol 3 Ch 6

EPA 40 CFR Part 98 Subpart I (2024)
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12 treatment route
Background dataset: treatment of hazardous waste, underground deposit
Uncertainty: ±20% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Copper from treated etchant drag-out Solid wasteg · -89.2% / +125.1%

Source citations: mee.gov.cn (date not recorded). GB 39731-2020, Emission standard of water pollutants for the electronics industry (official MEE PDF) - Table 1 item 13 total copper 0.5 direct / 2.0 indirect mg/L; Table 2 benchmark effluent volumes per wafer / per m2 PCB / per package. Standard.
epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. EPA Office of Water, "Preliminary Study of the Electrical and Electronic Components Point Source Category", EPA-821-R-22-005, DCN 11197 (2022) - Table 12 indirect Cu median 0.05 / mean 0.213 / max 5.64 / min 0.00015 mg/L (67 facilities, 1,309 results, 996 detects); Table 13 direct; Table 6 named-facility treatment trains; sec. 1.2.3.1 post-1983 process additions. Government report.
19january2021snapshot.epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. EPA Design for the Environment, "Printed Wiring Board Pollution Prevention and Control Technology: Analysis of Updated Survey Results" (grant X 823856; update to EPA 744-R-95-006) - raw Cu 0.4 to >100 mg/l (sec. 6.2); Exhibit 6-1 permit-limit rows; drag-out Exhibits 4-4/4-5; treatment mix sec. 6.3. Government report.
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12 treatment route
Background dataset: market for copper scrap, sorted, pressed
Uncertainty: -89.2% / +125.1% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Ablated dielectric debris Solid wasteg

Derivation basis: Calculated from the mass balance of spent materials and consumables, with treatment selected from the waste classification.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12 treatment route
Background dataset: treatment of inert waste, sanitary landfill
Uncertainty: No range defined.
Unit: g

Epoxy smear residue Solid wasteg · -73.9% / +195.5%

Source citations: patents.google.com (date not recorded). Electrochemicals Inc., US6454868B1, "Permanganate desmear process for printed wiring boards", issued 2002-09-24. Patent.
isola-group.com (date not recorded). Young, T. (Isola); Polakovic, F. and Carano, M. (Electrochemicals Inc.), "Thermal Reliability of Laser Ablated Microvias and Standard Through-Hole Technologies as a Function of Materials and Processing", paper S09-6-1. PDF document.
link.springer.com (date not recorded). Cheng, Y.-H.; Hsu, C.-C.; Lan, C.-J.; Munoz, S.; Caparanga, A.; Soriano, A.N.; Li, M.-H., "Desmearing of FR4 Epoxy Resin Using NMP-Based Sweller", Journal of Electronic Materials, 2009, 38(11): 2368-2375. Journal article.
sthjt.hubei.gov.cn (date not recorded). HJ 2058-2018 Technical specifications for wastewater treatment engineering of printed circuit board (yin zhi dian lu ban fei shui zhi li gong cheng ji shu gui fan), National Environmental Protection Standard of the PRC, issued 2018-08-31, effective 2018-12-01. PDF document.
17260206.s21i.faiusr.com (date not recorded). Victory Giant Technology (Huizhou) Co., Ltd. - Plant 9 Intelligent CNC Machining Centre Project (Phase 1), completion environmental-protection acceptance monitoring report, March 2026 (prepared by Huizhou Landing Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.). PDF document.
aivon.com (date not recorded). Aivon, "How We Resolved PCB Solder Mask Opening Design Conflicts in a 2-Layer FR4 PCB" (engineering case, production record #FR4-20260708-079).
kinjipcb.com (date not recorded). Kinji Group (KinjiPCB), product page "10 Layer FR4 ENIG Mass Production PCB" (product/142).
jlcpcb.com (date not recorded). JLCPCB Help Centre, "In what cases will there be charged extra?", section 9 "Too Many Drilling Holes" (page dated "Last updated on Aug 13, 2026").
pcbtok.com (date not recorded). PCBTok (Sony He), "Complete PCB Via Size Guideline", 5 November 2024, section "PCB Density".
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12 treatment route
Background dataset: treatment of inert waste, sanitary landfill
Uncertainty: -73.9% / +195.5% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Manganese sludge (filter cake) Solid wasteg · -86% / +101.2%

Source citations (dataset-level): sthjt.hubei.gov.cn (date not recorded). HJ 2058-2018 Technical specifications for wastewater treatment engineering of printed circuit board (yin zhi dian lu ban fei shui zhi li gong cheng ji shu gui fan), National Environmental Protection Standard of the PRC, issued 2018-08-31, effective 2018-12-01. PDF document.
epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. EPA Office of Water - Preliminary Study of the Electrical and Electronic Components Point Source Category (40 CFR Part 469), EPA-821-R-22-005, DCN 11197, November 2022. Government report.
Source citations (dataset-level): Inherited from this dataset's own bibliography, not tied to this row:

sthjt.hubei.gov.cn (date not recorded). HJ 2058-2018 Technical specifications for wastewater treatment engineering of printed circuit board (yin zhi dian lu ban fei shui zhi li gong cheng ji shu gui fan), National Environmental Protection Standard of the PRC, issued 2018-08-31, effective 2018-12-01. PDF document.
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12 treatment route
Background dataset: treatment of hazardous waste, underground deposit
Uncertainty: -86% / +101.2% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Copper in wastewater-treatment sludge/recovery Solid wasteg · -2.5% / +0.5%

Source citations (dataset-level): mee.gov.cn (date not recorded). GB 39731-2020, Emission standard of water pollutants for the electronics industry (official MEE PDF) - Table 1 item 13 total copper 0.5 direct / 2.0 indirect mg/L; Table 2 benchmark effluent volumes per wafer / per m2 PCB / per package. Standard.
epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. EPA Office of Water, "Preliminary Study of the Electrical and Electronic Components Point Source Category", EPA-821-R-22-005, DCN 11197 (2022) - Table 12 indirect Cu median 0.05 / mean 0.213 / max 5.64 / min 0.00015 mg/L (67 facilities, 1,309 results, 996 detects); Table 13 direct; Table 6 named-facility treatment trains; sec. 1.2.3.1 post-1983 process additions. Government report.
19january2021snapshot.epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. EPA Design for the Environment, "Printed Wiring Board Pollution Prevention and Control Technology: Analysis of Updated Survey Results" (grant X 823856; update to EPA 744-R-95-006) - raw Cu 0.4 to >100 mg/l (sec. 6.2); Exhibit 6-1 permit-limit rows; drag-out Exhibits 4-4/4-5; treatment mix sec. 6.3. Government report.
Source citations (dataset-level): Inherited from this dataset's own bibliography, not tied to this row:

mee.gov.cn (date not recorded). GB 39731-2020, Emission standard of water pollutants for the electronics industry (official MEE PDF) - Table 1 item 13 total copper 0.5 direct / 2.0 indirect mg/L; Table 2 benchmark effluent volumes per wafer / per m2 PCB / per package. Standard.

epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. EPA Office of Water, "Preliminary Study of the Electrical and Electronic Components Point Source Category", EPA-821-R-22-005, DCN 11197 (2022) - Table 12 indirect Cu median 0.05 / mean 0.213 / max 5.64 / min 0.00015 mg/L (67 facilities, 1,309 results, 996 detects); Table 13 direct; Table 6 named-facility treatment trains; sec. 1.2.3.1 post-1983 process additions. Government report.

19january2021snapshot.epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. EPA Design for the Environment, "Printed Wiring Board Pollution Prevention and Control Technology: Analysis of Updated Survey Results" (grant X 823856; update to EPA 744-R-95-006) - raw Cu 0.4 to >100 mg/l (sec. 6.2); Exhibit 6-1 permit-limit rows; drag-out Exhibits 4-4/4-5; treatment mix sec. 6.3. Government report.
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12 treatment route
Background dataset: market for copper scrap, sorted, pressed
Uncertainty: -2.5% / +0.5% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Routing dust (FR-4 particles) Solid wasteg · -9.4% / +3.1%

Source citations: circuitnet.com (date not recorded). Oosterhof A. & Nether S. (LPKF), "Depaneling of Circuit Boards", Proc. 20th Pan Pacific Microelectronics Symposium, Kauai, Feb 2-5 2015 (CircuitNet-hosted PDF). Conference paper.
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12 treatment route
Background dataset: treatment of inert waste, sanitary landfill
Uncertainty: -9.4% / +3.1% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Copper Sludge Solid wasteg · -32% / +24%

Derivation basis: Calculated from the mass balance of spent materials and consumables, with treatment selected from the waste classification.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12 treatment route
Background dataset: market for metalliferous hydroxide sludge
Uncertainty: -32% / +24% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Neutralization Sludge Solid wasteg · -48.6% / +54.3%

Derivation basis: Calculated from the mass balance of spent materials and consumables, with treatment selected from the waste classification.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12 treatment route
Background dataset: treatment of hazardous waste, underground deposit
Uncertainty: -48.6% / +54.3% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Scrapped material (line yield) Solid wasteg · -3% / +0%

Derivation basis: Calculated from the mass balance of spent materials and consumables, with treatment selected from the waste classification.

The sources below are this dataset's own bibliography. They are not tied to this row.
Source citations (dataset-level): Inherited from this dataset's own bibliography, not tied to this row:

insulectro.com (date not recorded). Denkai America, "TOB-III High reliability electrodeposited copper foil" Technical Data Sheet, Rev May 4 2020 (Insulectro-hosted). Technical data sheet.

de.beta-layout.com (date not recorded). MSC-Ditron, "FR-4 copper clad Laminate EP-84" TDS, created 11/16/2006 (beta-layout-hosted). Technical data sheet.

eurocircuits.com (date not recorded). Eurocircuits, "Tolerances on Copper Thickness" (fabricator technical guideline).

z-zero.com (date not recorded). Z-zero (Bill Hargin), "Actual Copper Thicknesses (As Opposed to What You've Assumed)" (stack-up design house blog). Vendor web page.

pcbworld.com (date not recorded). PCBWorld, "Copper thickness" technology page.

aivon.com (date not recorded). AIVON (Sophia Wang), "IPC 6012: A Detailed Examination of Hole/Via Plating Thickness Requirements", March 17 2026. Vendor web page.

jlcpcb.com (date not recorded). JLCPCB, "Optimize PCB Plating Thickness for Superior Durability" blog.
Background data: ecoinvent 3.12 treatment route
Background dataset: market for copper scrap, sorted, pressed
Notes: Calculated reject material after accounting for a manufacturing yield of 85%.
Uncertainty: -3% / +0% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Emissions to air

1 elementary flow released to air by this dataset's own operations. Quantities are not published; they ship with the dataset on Circa.

VOCs Emission to airg

Derivation basis: Authored at the model: emission factor declared by the model itself, converted from its authored unit to grams per functional unit. It is not re-derived from the process-gas inputs and no point-of-use abatement is applied to it; the model's own notes and sources carry the factor's basis

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Compartment: Air (non-urban air or from high stacks)
ecoinvent 3.12 elementary flow: NMVOC, non-methane volatile organic compounds
Uncertainty: No range defined.
Unit: g

Emissions to water

7 elementary flows released to water by this dataset's own operations. Quantities are not published; they ship with the dataset on Circa.

Cu2+ Emission to waterg

Source citations: mee.gov.cn (date not recorded). GB 39731-2020, Emission standard of water pollutants for the electronics industry (official MEE PDF) - Table 1 item 13 total copper 0.5 direct / 2.0 indirect mg/L; Table 2 benchmark effluent volumes per wafer / per m2 PCB / per package. Standard.
epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. EPA Office of Water, "Preliminary Study of the Electrical and Electronic Components Point Source Category", EPA-821-R-22-005, DCN 11197 (2022) - Table 12 indirect Cu median 0.05 / mean 0.213 / max 5.64 / min 0.00015 mg/L (67 facilities, 1,309 results, 996 detects); Table 13 direct; Table 6 named-facility treatment trains; sec. 1.2.3.1 post-1983 process additions. Government report.
19january2021snapshot.epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. EPA Design for the Environment, "Printed Wiring Board Pollution Prevention and Control Technology: Analysis of Updated Survey Results" (grant X 823856; update to EPA 744-R-95-006) - raw Cu 0.4 to >100 mg/l (sec. 6.2); Exhibit 6-1 permit-limit rows; drag-out Exhibits 4-4/4-5; treatment mix sec. 6.3. Government report.
Compartment: Water (surface water)
Formula: Cu
CAS number: 7440-50-8
ecoinvent 3.12 elementary flow: Copper ion
Uncertainty: A minimum-maximum range is defined for this flow. Bounds ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Mn2+ Emission to waterg

Source citations: epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. EPA Office of Water - Preliminary Study of the Electrical and Electronic Components Point Source Category (40 CFR Part 469), EPA-821-R-22-005, DCN 11197, November 2022. Government report.
Compartment: Water (surface water)
CAS number: 16397-91-4
ecoinvent 3.12 elementary flow: Manganese II
Uncertainty: A minimum-maximum range is defined for this flow. Bounds ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Potassium Emission to waterg

Source citations: p2infohouse.org (date not recorded). Pagel, P. (Minnesota Technical Assistance Program), Waste Reduction at a Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing Facility Using Modified Rinsing Technologies, U.S. EPA WRITE Program, pp. 483-492. PDF document.
patents.google.com (date not recorded). US4601783A - High concentration sodium permanganate etch bath and its use in desmearing and/or etching printed circuit boards (Morton Thiokol Inc.; priority 1985-05-31; later MacDermid). Patent.
portlandcleanair.org (date not recorded). Atotech USA Inc., Material Safety Data Sheet: SECURIGANTH P-500 DOSING SOLUTION (Rock Hill SC; PMCODE PKV, 7 pp.). PDF document.
Compartment: Water (surface water)
Formula: K+
CAS number: 24203-36-9
ecoinvent 3.12 elementary flow: Potassium I
Notes: K2SO4 → 2K⁺ + SO4²⁻ (ionic dissociation)
Uncertainty: A minimum-maximum range is defined for this flow. Bounds ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Sulfate Emission to waterg

Source citations: p2infohouse.org (date not recorded). Pagel, P. (Minnesota Technical Assistance Program), Waste Reduction at a Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing Facility Using Modified Rinsing Technologies, U.S. EPA WRITE Program, pp. 483-492. PDF document.
patents.google.com (date not recorded). US4601783A - High concentration sodium permanganate etch bath and its use in desmearing and/or etching printed circuit boards (Morton Thiokol Inc.; priority 1985-05-31; later MacDermid). Patent.
portlandcleanair.org (date not recorded). Atotech USA Inc., Material Safety Data Sheet: SECURIGANTH P-500 DOSING SOLUTION (Rock Hill SC; PMCODE PKV, 7 pp.). PDF document.
Compartment: Water (surface water)
Formula: SO42-
CAS number: 14808-79-8
ecoinvent 3.12 elementary flow: Sulfate
Notes: K2SO4 → 2K⁺ + SO4²⁻ (ionic dissociation)
Uncertainty: A minimum-maximum range is defined for this flow. Bounds ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

HCHO Emission to waterg

Source citations: qxb-img-osscache.qixin.com (date not recorded). Jiangxi Longyi Connection Technology Co. Ltd - annual 1.10 million m2 automotive-electronics supporting-industry project, phase 1 stage 1, construction-project completion environmental-protection acceptance report (jian she xiang mu jun gong huan jing bao hu yan shou bao gao). PDF document.
sthjt.hubei.gov.cn (date not recorded). HJ 2058-2018 Technical specifications for wastewater treatment engineering of printed circuit board (yin zhi dian lu ban fei shui zhi li gong cheng ji shu gui fan), National Environmental Protection Standard of the PRC, issued 2018-08-31, effective 2018-12-01. PDF document.
mee.gov.cn (date not recorded). GB 8978-1996 Integrated wastewater discharge standard (wu shui zong he pai fang biao zhun), Table 4 maximum allowable discharge concentrations of Class II pollutants for units built on or after 1998-01-01. PDF document.
inchem.org (date not recorded). IPCS/WHO, Concise International Chemical Assessment Document 40: Formaldehyde, World Health Organization, Geneva, 2002.
epa.gov (date not recorded). U.S. EPA Office of Water, "Preliminary Study of the Electrical and Electronic Components Point Source Category", EPA-821-R-22-005, DCN 11197, November 2022. PDF document.
Compartment: Water (surface water)
CAS number: 50-00-0
ecoinvent 3.12 elementary flow: Formaldehyde
Uncertainty: A minimum-maximum range is defined for this flow. Bounds ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

EDTA Emission to waterg

Source citations: cjournal.hep.com.cn (date not recorded). MEI Yining, WEI Zhe, WEI Li'an, Study on resource recycling of copper from spent PCB electroless copper plating bath, Electroplating & Finishing, 2024, 43(2): 149-154 (School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University). Journal article.
p2infohouse.org (date not recorded). Pagel, P., "Waste Reduction at a Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing Facility Using Modified Rinsing Technologies", Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) under the U.S. EPA WRITE Program, pp. 483-492. PDF document.
patents.google.com (date not recorded). C. Uyemura & Co. Ltd, EP0142356B1, "Analytical method for determining formaldehyde in electroless copper plating bath", priority 1983-11-11. Patent.
gesetze-im-internet.de (date not recorded). Abwasserverordnung (AbwV) Anhang 40 "Metallbearbeitung, Metallverarbeitung" (German Waste Water Ordinance, Annex 40).
Compartment: Water (unspecified)
Formula: C₁₀H₁₆N₂O₈
CAS number: 60-00-4
ecoinvent 3.12 elementary flow: EDTA, Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid
Uncertainty: A minimum-maximum range is defined for this flow. Bounds ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

Organic compounds (azoles) Emission to waterg

Derivation basis: Calculated as a release to water, from a contaminant mass balance on the process chemistry.
No corresponding ecoinvent dataset or flow was identified for this entry, so it is published with its own quantity and no background link

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Compartment: Water (surface water)
ecoinvent 3.12 elementary flow: Not stated
Uncertainty: No range defined.
Unit: g

Flows not quantified

3 flows are recorded for this dataset but carry no quantity — cut off below the significance threshold, or with no background dataset available. They remain inside the declared system boundary; each is listed with its reason.

Not modelled (3)

Complexing agent (EDTA or Rochelle salt) Process chemicalg · -20% / +50%

Derivation basis: Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Background data: not modelled
Background dataset: Not applicable: this flow is not quantified in the inventory.
Reason: Proprietary plating-bath additive consumed in trace quantity, recorded in this inventory. Formulations vary by supplier and no representative public production dataset exists, so the upstream burden is left unlinked rather than approximated with an unrepresentative proxy.
Uncertainty: -20% / +50% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: g

OSP coating solution Process chemicalmL · ±33.3%

Derivation basis: Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.
Source citations: Not stated
Background data: not modelled
Background dataset: Not applicable: this flow is not quantified in the inventory.
Reason: Organic solderability preservative applied in trace quantity, recorded in this inventory. No public production dataset exists for the coating chemistry, so the upstream burden is left unlinked.
Uncertainty: ±33.3% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: mL

pH adjuster (acetic/formic acid) Process chemicalmL · -60% / +100%

Derivation basis: EXPERT JUDGMENT scaled from a quantified turnover measurement recorded for this finish line's working solution. The interval is widened because pH adjustment is an analogue step rather than the measured turnover flow itself.

The sources for this row are listed below.
Source citations (specific to this process): Shikoku Chemical Corporation, Glicoat SMD-F2 technical data sheet
Background data: not modelled
Background dataset: Not applicable: this flow is not quantified in the inventory.
Reason: Trace pH buffering chemical in the plating bath, recorded in this inventory below materiality for separate upstream modeling.
Uncertainty: -60% / +100% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit: mL

The flows above are this dataset's own records. What follows are the scope rules set once for the whole database in the methodology report, repeated here so every dataset page carries them.

Database-wide boundary policy — applies to every REEL dataset

These boundaries are set once for the whole database, in Chapter 2 of the methodology report, and apply to this dataset wherever they are relevant to it. The excluded flows listed above are specific to this dataset.

Use phase: Product operation is outside the cradle-to-gate scope.
End-of-life treatment: Recycling and disposal are outside the cradle-to-gate scope.
Distribution and retail: The gate is a finished component ready for integration into a higher-level assembly.
Inbound transport of raw materials: Transport of purchased raw materials to the manufacturing facility is already inside the upstream "market for" datasets that users link to a background database, so it is not modelled a second time here. This does not cover freight between REEL production stages, which is modelled where a dataset authors it.
Returnable shipping containers: Where freight between production stages is modelled, the mass moved is the product itself. The shipping container (FOSB, SEMI M31) is returnable capital equipment whose per-trip share is unsourced, so its tare is excluded from the transport effort.
Photomask fabrication: A mask set's embodied burden is amortised across a high-volume production run and is not attributed per wafer. Users assessing low-volume production should add mask fabrication separately; the methodology report gives the basis for the exclusion.
Employee transport, administration and R&D overhead: Employee transportation, facility administration and R&D/pilot-production overhead are outside scope.
Capital goods: Manufacturing equipment, cleanroom construction and facility infrastructure are excluded, on the grounds of absent public data on equipment embodied energy, uncertainty in equipment lifetime and allocation, common practice in electronics LCA, and a focus on the operational inventory. Future versions may include capital goods when sufficient public data becomes available.
Precious metal recovery credits: Scrap recovery credits for precious metals are excluded pending data availability.
Wafer reclaim: Test wafers and scrap are outside the system boundary.

Inside the boundary, linked rather than modelled

Silicon ingot growth and wafer slicing: Inside the cradle-to-gate scope, but treated as upstream material inputs linked to background databases rather than modelled as REEL processes.
Freight between production stages: Where a dataset's product moves between REEL production stages - wafer fabrication to the packaging site, for example - that leg is authored as a transport service and linked to an ecoinvent freight activity. It is measured as a transport effort in tonne-kilometres, not as a mass. Route distances are authored per route class with a stated band; a lower bound of zero is a modelling statement that the two sites can be co-located, not a missing value.

Cut-off criteria

A flow is excluded from a process inventory when it contributes less than 1 % of the total mass of inputs to that unit process, or less than 1 % of its total energy input. The denominator is total process inputs, not product mass. That distinction matters in semiconductor manufacturing, where the input mass of water, chemicals and gases greatly exceeds the product mass, so the threshold removes only genuinely minor flows.

Included regardless of the cut-off

Perfluorocarbons (CF4, C2F6, SF6, NF3) - high GWP, EPA regulated
Heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg, Cr(VI)) - RoHS regulated, high toxicity
Volatile organics (photoresist solvents, PGMEA) - air quality
Precious metals (Au, Ag, Pd, Pt) - high embodied impacts
Ozone-depleting substances (legacy CFCs, HCFCs) - Montreal Protocol