{"id":89491,"date":"2025-03-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/climate\/2025\/03\/21\/startups-are-tackling-the-bio-hazards-of-the-semiconductor-industrys-growth\/"},"modified":"2025-03-21T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T00:00:00","slug":"startups-are-tackling-the-bio-hazards-of-the-semiconductor-industrys-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/climate\/2025\/03\/21\/startups-are-tackling-the-bio-hazards-of-the-semiconductor-industrys-growth\/","title":{"rendered":"Startups are tackling the bio-hazards of the semiconductor industry\u2019s growth"},"content":{"rendered":"

More startups enter race to address impacts of AI\u2019s \u2018forever chemicals\u2019: <\/strong>Startups are working to address the negative impacts of Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) \u2014 a type of \u2018forever chemicals\u2019 necessary for semiconductors\u2019 production, Bloomberg<\/a> reported last week. <\/p>\n

Why it matters: <\/strong>Microchips\u2019 sales surged over 19% to USD 628 bn last year, Bloomberg reported, citing the Semiconductor Industry Association\u2019s data. The demand is set to double<\/a> by 2030, making the need for scalable solutions more critical. PFAS substances are also essential for clean energy tech products \u2014 which lack end-of-life disposal standards for their waste and mainly end up in municipal dumps. <\/p>\n

What\u2019s the danger?<\/strong> PFAS takes centuries or even thousands of years<\/a> to break down and is linked to significant health problems, including developmental disorders, heart disease, infertility, and cancer. Their reach goes beyond microchips to also include everyday items, such as non-stick pans, paint, and fabrics. They are also essential for clean energy tech products \u2014 which lack end-of-life disposal standards for their waste and mainly end up in municipal dumps. The production of these substances is also greenhouse gas-intensive. <\/p>\n

Enter Oxyle: <\/strong>Switzerland-based Oxyle AG<\/a> uses a modular system to treat water that works by generating bubbles that latch onto PFAS molecules to break them down into harmless mineral constituents without any toxic byproducts. The process can remove more PFAS than conventional processes, with a 99% elimination rate. <\/p>\n

There is more: <\/strong>Boston-based startup Gradiant<\/a> has also launched a treatment technology that it claims permanently removes and destroys PFAS, with several demonstration projects including in microchip production, Bloomberg reported. Earlier in February 2024<\/a>, a team of researchers from the Chicago-based Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory announced the development of tech that uses high-energy electron beams to break down forever chemicals in water, including two PFAS compounds. <\/p>\n

But why isn\u2019t the microchip industry doing anything about it? <\/strong>The chemicals are crucial to the semiconductors industry, making a transition away from their use difficult due to \u201ca lack of proven substitutes,\u201d Bloomberg reported, citing the semiconductor industry association SEMI. In contrast, some sectors have tapped into possible alternatives, such as the apparel industry. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PFAS are essential for most of the tech used in the green 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are tackling the bio-hazards of the semiconductor industry\u2019s growth","related_issue":[89468],"teaser":"PFAS are essential for most of the tech used in the green transition","voice_url":"https:\/\/s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/ent.news\/audio\/2025\/3\/.148f8934-bbf9-4b3d-8248-419f3509aff0.mp3"},"yoast_head":"\nStartups are tackling the bio-hazards of the semiconductor industry\u2019s growth - Climate<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/climate\/2025\/03\/21\/startups-are-tackling-the-bio-hazards-of-the-semiconductor-industrys-growth\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Startups are tackling the bio-hazards of the semiconductor industry\u2019s growth\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"PFAS are essential for most of the tech used in the green transition\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/climate\/2025\/03\/21\/startups-are-tackling-the-bio-hazards-of-the-semiconductor-industrys-growth\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Climate\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-21T00:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2025\/3\/1673.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"enterpriseam admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"enterpriseam admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" 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