[Federal Register: January 29, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 19)]
[Notices]               
[Page 4653]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29ja99-62]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPTS-00235; FRL-5772-5]

 
Printed Wiring Board Cleaner Technologies Substitute Assessment, 
Making Holes Conductive; Notice of Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of Availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Design for The 
Environment (DfE) Program is announcing the availability of a document 
providing pollution prevention and human health and environmental risk 
reduction information for the Printed Wiring Board industry.

ADDRESSES: The document is available free of charge for a limited time 
from the Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse (PPIC), 
Environmental Protection Agency (7409), 401 M St. SW., Washington, DC 
20460, telephone 202-260-1023, fax 202-260-4659 and e-mail at: 
ppic@epamail.epa.gov. Also, the document can be viewed and downloaded 
from the DfE Program web site at http://www.epa.gov/dfe.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dipti Singh, Design for the 
Environment Program, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (7406), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC, 20460; 
202-260-1678, fax 202-260-0981, e-mail: oppt.dfe@epamail.epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Project Background

    The document entitled ``Printed Wiring Board Cleaner Technologies 
Substitutes Assessment: Making Holes Conductive'' (EPA 744-R-97-002a 
and b) details the findings of EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) 
Printed Wiring Board (PWB) Project regarding alternative technologies 
for performing the ``making holes conductive'' function during the 
manufacture of PWB's. The draft report was released in August 1996 
(August 22, 1997, 62 FR 44692; (FRL-5724-5)). Minor changes made due to 
internal review have been incorporated in the final document.
    EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Program began working with 
the Printed Wiring Board (PWB) Industry in 1994, to identify and 
evaluate environmentally beneficial and cost effective alternatives to 
PWB manufacturing technologies. The DfE PWB Project is a voluntary, 
cooperative partnership between EPA, the PWB industry, public-interest 
groups, and other stakeholders. The goal of this Project is to provide 
information that will assist the PWB industry in making informed 
decisions when evaluating and implementing beneficial alternatives to 
PWB manufacturing technologies.
    For purposes of this study, the project evaluated seven alternative 
technologies for performing the ``making holes conductive'' (MHC) 
function during the manufacture of PWBs. The non-conveyorized 
electroless copper process was considered the baseline process against 
which alternative technologies and equipment configurations were 
compared. With this notice, EPA is announcing the availability of the 
final document entitled ``Printed Wiring Board Cleaner Technologies 
Substitutes Assessment: Making Holes Conductive.''
    This document marks the culmination of research by the DfE PWB 
Project and the University of Tennessee Center for Clean Products and 
Clean Technologies. The data gathered on the comparative risk, 
performance, cost, and natural resource requirements of the 
alternatives and baseline technologies are presented in this document.

    Dated: January 21, 1999.

William H. Sanders III,

Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Office of 
Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances.

[FR Doc. 99-2204 Filed 1-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F