[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 163 (Friday, August 22, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 44692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22376]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPTS-00215; FRL-5724-5]


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

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Availability for Comment.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the 
availability of the draft document entitled ``Printed Wiring Board 
Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment: Making Holes Conductive.'' 
This document 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 PWBs.

DATES: Comments are due no later than October 6, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed in triplicate to: TSCA Public 
Docket, Rm. NEG 99, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., 
SW., Washington, DC, 20460. Comments and data may also be submitted 
electronically by following the instructions under Unit II. No CBI 
should be submitted through e-mail. Comments are available for public 
inspection and copying in the TSCA Nonconfidential Information Center, 
Rm. NEB 607, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC. Free copies of the 
complete 2-volume report (EPA 744-R-97-002 a and b) can be obtained by 
contacting the EPA's Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse 
(PPIC), at 401 M St., SW., (7407), Washington DC, 20460; 202-260-1023; 
fax 202-260-4659, or the report can be reviewed on the DfE home page at 
http://www.epa.gov/dfe.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dipti Singh, Design for the 
Environment Program, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (7406), 
U.S. EPA, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC, 20460; 202-260-1678, e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Project Background

    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 
draft document entitled ``Printed Wiring Board Cleaner Technologies 
Substitutes Assessment: Making Holes Conductive.'' This document marks 
the culmination of over 2-years 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.

II. Public Record

    The official record for this notice, as well as the public version, 
has been established for this notice under docket number [OPPTS-00215], 
and will include any comments and data submitted electronically. A 
public version of this record, including printed/paper versions of 
electronic comments, which does not include any information claimed as 
confidential business information CBI, is available for inspection from 
12 noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal legal 
holidays. The official record is located at the address in 
``ADDRESSES'' at the beginning of this document.
    Electronic comments can be sent directly to EPA at:
    [email protected]

    Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the 
use of special characters and any form of encryption. Comments and data 
will also be accepted on disks in WordPerfect in 5.1 file format or 
ASCII file format. All comments and data in electronic form must be 
identified by the docket number [OPPTS-00215]. Electronic comments on 
this proposed rule may be filed online at many Federal Depository 
Libraries.

    Dated: August 12, 1997.

Mary Ellen Weber,
Director, Economics, Exposure, and Technology Division, Office of 
Pollution Prevention and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 97-22376 Filed 8-21-97; 8:45 am]
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