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NPEP Success Story: Benchmark Electronics
Benchmark Electronics Exceeds Lead Reduction Goal
Benchmark Electronics Hudson division joined NPEP in July of 2005. Benchmark Electronics Hudson, New Hampshire division is an electronics contract manufacturer of printed circuit board assemblies and electronic systems. Many different size printed circuit board assemblies are produced annually with all using lead based solder to provide the electrical interconnect.
Benchmark's NPEP Goal
Our original NPEP voluntary goal was to reduce the amount of lead procured by 10%. Lead is used in bar solder and solder paste for electronics manufacturing. The baseline metric used was the total pounds of solder purchased in 2006. This baseline was 8,274 pounds with a reduction goal of 10% or 7,446 pounds. For consecutive years, the Benchmark Hudson division has exceeded our NPEP reduction goal.
Source Reduction, Recycling, and Recovery Alternatives Considered
Benchmark Electronics began this initiative when the European Union (EU) instituted the Restriction of Hazardous Substance (RoHS) directive in 2006. The directive bans six total hazardous substances; lead is one of these substances, within manufactured electronic devices. This ban of lead had a substantial impact on Benchmark Electronics and the electronics industry as a whole given its long historical and technological use.
The RoHS directive allows many exemptions including the use of lead solders for specific industries and applications. This exemption has provided many companies the option to convert to lead free or continue with leaded solders.
Lead Free solders are currently required by the European Union if the company is not exempt. If a company sells products in the US only, the need to change to lead free is not required until a US equivalent directive, marketing considerations or component availability occur.
The electronics industry has responded to these directives by developing alternative “lead free” solders for companies who are not exempt or who opt to go lead-free. One of these prototypes qualified and a standard lead free alloy has been chosen by the electronics industry. Benchmark Electronics is in the process of converting to lead-free.
Benchmark Electronics has provided the technological data required to manage the transition of product and resulting elimination of lead based solders. This collaboration includes customers who are not exempt, exempt and not covered by the RoHS directive.
Waste Minimization Results
As a result of these products transitioning to lead free and the decommissioning of leaded equipment, the total procured lead solder for 2007 was 5,676 pounds. This equates to a 68% reduction compared to the year before. Normalized for demand and fluctuations year over year, the 10% goal was exceeded and will continue to improve.
Lessons Learned
One of the key lessons learned is the importance of a partnership and lead free transition strategy between Benchmark Electronics and our customers.