Environmental effects

Electronics technology is pervasive in the global economy and has been integral not only to communication and computing purposes but also to industrial controls and monitoring, e-commerce and education for individuals, schools, and businesses worldwide. As the industry has grown globally, it has faced challenges from innovation and increased competition as well as the global concerns for the environment and the need to improve the resource management. While perceived as a “clean” industry, the technological advances made by the industry create a signi?cant demand on the Earth’s resources. Over the past decade, the industry has made signi?cant efforts to reduce environmental impacts through energy ef?ciency programs and pollution prevention initiatives, such as the phase out of the use of ozone-depleting substances frommanufacturing and air-conditioning uses and the development of alternatives to solder technologies and materials.