[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:
oppt.dfe@epamail.epa.gov.
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:
oppt.ncic@epamail.epa.gov
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]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F
