- Semiconductor
PFAS chemicals have become the focus of intense media scrutiny due to their widespread use and environmental persistence. Found in everything from cosmetics and packaging to beer, these “forever chemicals” are now under increasing regulatory pressure worldwide.
In the US, a primary concern is PFAS contamination in drinking water. In May 2025, the EPA announced its National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoro octane sulfonic acid (PFOS), establishing nationwide limits for these substances. State-level regulations are following suit and expanding beyond drinking water to include soil, surface water, groundwater, and air emissions.
The semiconductor industry is now evaluating how these regulations affect its operations ─ feasibility of substituting replacement chemicals to the infrastructure cleanout required for such transitions, and the current fate of PFAS chemicals within manufacturing processes. This reaction is due to increasing global PFAS restrictions and a shift from PFAS-containing products and firefighting foams.
However, addressing PFAS contamination is far from straightforward. These chemicals can form waterproof layers on tanks and pipework, leading to recontamination of replacement products. Moreover, long-chain PFAS chemicals can be detected in semiconductor discharges even after swapping to short-chain alternatives.
This challenge arises as semiconductor companies simultaneously pursue sustainability goals, reduce energy consumption amid growing supply constraints, secure ultra-pure water in the face of water scarcity, and build resilience against extreme weather events and supply chain disruptions.
This commentary outlines key considerations for semiconductor facility operators as they begin to address PFAS contamination and highlights how collaboration with external consultants can help maximize the effectiveness of their efforts.
PFAS in semiconductor manufacturing
While public attention has largely centered on PFAS in water these substances are used extensively across semiconductor manufacturing ─ in solid, liquid, and gaseous forms.
Fluoropolymers are integral to semiconductor production and infrastructure. In liquid forms, they are present in photolithography chemistries, fluorinated heat transfer fluids, fluorinated surfactants in wet clean chemistries, and fluorinated assembly test packaging materials. They are also present in fluorocarbon process gases and reaction byproducts, as well as fluorinated refrigerants. They can even be found in the anti-reflection coatings and topcoats that remain on final products. (Research is ongoing to determine how PFAS end up in final products and what responsibilities manufacturers bear for post-consumer disposal.)
PFAS usage spans the entire manufacturing process—from air-discharge and blowdown collection to frontend and backend operations, including packing processes. Because of their presence in various PFAS, residuals persist in storage tanks, bulk chemical distribution systems, and delivery systems. They are even often present in the source water entering facilities due to presence in the water supply.
Given their persistence, PFAS compounds circulate through facilities and are commonly found in wastewater and chemical or solid waste collection systems. These typically discharge into publicly owned treatment works facilities and waste disposal systems.
PFAS treatment approaches
There are several common approaches to PFAS treatment, depending on the application. Most focus on concentrating and separating PFAS to enable more cost-effective use of destruction technologies. Each method has inherent limitations. The main approaches include:
Once one of these separation or concentration technologies has been employed the waste products containing the PFAs can then be treated onsite with destruction technologies, or this reduced volume can be sent offsite for treatment or disposal. Current destruction methods rely on batch or single-digit gallon-per-minute flows for continuous treatment. These expensive, high-energy requirements lead to high capital and operating expenses. The greater the reduction of treatment volume through separation the more cost-effective destruction becomes.
It's important to note that these approaches address PFAS only within the process water system, and do not account for its presence in the semiconductor fabrication process. Nor do they address the root cause. For this reason, many facility operators choose to work with specialized consultants to ensure they are managing the project effectively, and develop comprehensive, cost-efficient plans.
Working with consultants:
Specialized consultants offer a range of services that may be outside the scope of a typical semiconductor fabrication operator.
One of the most essential services is advisory and litigation support. Consultants help identity PFAS presence throughout the facility and sources within the supply chain, assess reporting requirements (e.g., Toxic Release Inventory and Toxic Substances Control Act), and provide guidance on product stewardship. This foundational information sets a baseline for risk that can drive a discussion of next steps and planning needs.
Another common need is infrastructure cleanout support, which includes cleaning chemical storage equipment and fire suppression systems containing PFAS. Consultants also assist with recommending replacements —such as transitioning to fluorine free firefighting foams —and provide planning, permitting, system upgrades and testing.
Characterization is often required to understand the presence of PFAS throughout the facility. This involves identifying and quantifying PFAS concentrations in wastewater and air enabling optimization of wastewater and exhaust air processes – another valuable offering that may be outside the capabilities of a typical semiconductor fabrication facility operation. And of course, solutions for water and solids treatment, abatement, handling and destruction are the natural outcome of the preceding services.
Arcadis offers a Vulnerability Management Tool (VMT) to help assess high level risk. VMT contextualizes site locations with nearby risks and threats, and provides information regarding surface water, geology, and fire stations. It tracks location details of nearby airports that may utilize PFAS. This data gives context to how your site might be vulnerable to regulatory interest in PFAS sources in the area as well as providing information on who the more likely contributors may be.
The tool also maps surface water bodies, flow pathways, and conditions to trace PFAS transport. It provides information on wetland conditions that may influence the transport of PFAS and summarizes soil conditions to assess potential for PFAS transport.
Steps for evaluating PFAS strategies: How to start
Semiconductor fabrication facility owners and operators can take three key steps—often with support from specialized consultants—to effectively address PFAS challenges:
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