Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing the international community, and SK hynix is proactive in our response. SK hynix continuously monitors global and regional climate change trends and their impact on both the company and the communities. SK hynix also regularly reports on greenhouse gas emissions, latest achievements against mid- and long-term goals, and the results of our energy efficiency efforts.

Greenhouse gases related to climate change are directly discharged through gases used in the semiconductor manufacturing processes, and the volume of indirect emissions is also substantial depending on the energy used.

Outlining SK hynix’s Efforts and Strategies

SK hynix has been collaborating with local governments and communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For example, through the enactment of related laws such as “Sustainable Development Act,” “Framework Act on Low Carbon, Green Growth,” and “Act on the Allocation and Trading of Greenhouse-Gas Emission Permits,” South Korean government has set national greenhouse gas reduction objectives, making notable efforts to comply with the guidelines set by the international community. To encourage reducing emissions, the government has set reduction targets within a certain period of time for each industrial sector and assigned quotas to companies.

The quotas allocated by the government are based on existing operating facilities and newly established facilities, and reduction efforts are carried out for each emission source. Sources of greenhouse gas emissions can be classified in many ways with different criteria, but for the most part, they can be divided into two categories: direct emission sources and indirect emission sources.

Figure 1. Six Major Greenhouse Gases

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Direct emission sources¹ include the combustion of fuel from boilers and vehicles as well as and emissions from the process gases (PFC, SF6, etc.) used in the production of semiconductors. When it comes to indirect emission sources², greenhouse gases are emitted in the production stage rather than the consumption stage, like in electric power or steam.

Chart. 1 Major Cases of Energy Efficiency Improvement

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SK hynix is taking great strides to reduce direct emission sources, especially for process gases. These are gases with a very high level of global warming potential (GWP)³ – several hundred to tens of thousands of times higher than that of carbon dioxide (CO2). SK hynix installs and operates greenhouse gas reduction devices before discharging these gases into the atmosphere, drastically reducing total greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, process gas emissions account for only around 10% of total greenhouse gas emissions of the company.

Figure. 2 Chemical Reaction of PFCs Gas Treatment

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Indirect emissions are the largest source of emissions by SK hynix, most of which are caused by electricity usage. To reduce electricity usage, SK hynix is actively introducing low-power equipment, and by applying the energy management system ISO50001, the company is enhancing energy efficiency and improving energy management related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Aiming for more

In our “2022 ECO Vision”, SK hynix has outlined a series of plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through continuous efforts across our operations. SK hynix intends to lead the way for low-carbon semiconductor production plants by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% (compared to the business-as-usual⁴ level in 2016) by 2022. With continued efforts through 2030, SK hynix plans to become a global leader in climate action over the next decade.

¹Direct emissions: direct emissions of the six major greenhouse gases
²Indirect emissions: emissions resulted from electricity consumption
³Global Warming Potential (GWP): the heat absorbed by any greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, as a multiple of the heat that would be absorbed by the same mass of carbon dioxide (CO2). GWP is 1 for CO2. For other gases it depends on the gas and the time frame
⁴Business-as-usual (BAU): Total projected amount of emissions without any artificial measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

The post For Eco-friendly Memory Chips: SK hynix’s Milestone for Green Emission first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.

Today, this understanding has prepared us well to pivot in the face of growing environmental concerns.

Figure 1. “I Pledge” event of SK hynix America

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In celebration of this year’s World Environment Day, SK hynix America Inc. held events for all its employees to take part in. The “I Pledge” event let employees share their resolutions and commitments to mark the special occasion, and the “Eco-friendly reminder event” gave employees the chance to use their creativity and design a memorable poster with its slogan.

But this is not the end of it. We’re spotlighting some of the sustainability-minded activities, endeavors and commitments advancing our goals across the world under our 2022 ECO Vision program.

Our Vision for the Future: 2022 ECO Vision

As demand for semiconductors grows alongside the proliferation of the 4th industry, so does scrutiny over our processes and procedures. Semiconductors require a large amount of chemicals and water for production, and if left unregulated, can contribute to pollution and waste. Our challenge as we head into the next decade is therefore two-fold: continue to meet our customers’ demand, while managing and mitigating our environmental impact. This requires active efforts to reduce usage as well as ensure proper disposal of contaminants.

That’s why, as a company, we have created 2022 ECO Vision: a series of strategies and goals to bring us into 2022 that include the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and waste, and the investment in renewable energy and water resource management.

Figure 3. 2022 ECO Vision

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Rather than simply addressing the “after-effects” of semiconductor manufacturing – like how to manage waste or contaminants after use – SK hynix reflected more deeply on the semiconductor manufacturing process itself. We asked ourselves more broadly: how can we reduce this waste from the outset? How can we restructure our processes to better reflect our respect for the environment?

Celebrating Biodiversity

With the focus of this year’s World Environment Day on biodiversity, we would also like to spotlight the impact SK hynix is making in this area specifically. As a semiconductor company, one might not think that our work would touch the world of biodiversity, or the wide range of species that inhabit our land and our rivers. However, our usage of water and other chemicals can have a direct impact on these populations.

As World Environment Day explains, “biodiversity may be seen as an intricate web, in which each part is interdependent. When one component is changed–or removed–the entire system is affected, and this can produce positive–or negative–consequences.”

At SK hynix, we recognize the impact that our manufacturing, production and distribution can have on wildlife populations around the world.

Our integrated wastewater treatment plant, which was established in 2018 to improve the quality of discharged water, has already seen success in the waterway outside of our Icheon production site in South Korea. Our teams observed a wide array of wildlife gathering around the waterway, from egret to spotbill ducks, reminding us of the importance to keep this water source clean and undisturbed.

How 2022 ECO Vision Comes to Life

Our 2022 ECO Vision focuses on several key areas for improvement: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing waste, investing in renewable energy, and optimizing our water resource management.

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
We have committed to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 40% as compared to 2016 BAU, and plan to support a series of reduction projects in developing countries. At our Chongqing production site in China, SK hynix has managed greenhouse gas emissions to ensure full compliance with government regulations. In 2018, we installed two additional small-size furnaces, saving 73kNm3¹ of natural gasses and reducing emissions by 158.79 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2eq).

Reducing Waste
By 2022, we have committed to achieving 95% waste recycling across the company. Already in December 2019, SK hynix became the first Korean company to obtain the Zero Waste to Landfill Validation for all four of its production sites, certified by Underwriters Laboratories.

We are committed to minimizing waste production through maximizing the recycling of resources as part of our effort to reduce our environmental impact. It is our vision to turn “waste until resources.”

Investing in Renewable Energy
At our Icheon production site, SK hynix installed two small hydro-generators in 2018 that use the water discharged from the wastewater treatment plant to generate electricity for partial lighting of our wastewater treatment plants. In 2019, we also installed and began operation of solar power modules that is used to power lighting in several areas of the site.

Optimizing Water Resources
With our integrated wastewater treatment plant, we are also striving to improve the quality of discharged water. Since then, we have achieved success by reducing the total amount of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)², total nitrogen (T-N)³, total phosphorus (T-P)⁴ by between 15-40% compared to 2017.

Figure 6. Wastewater treatment plant (independent image from this article)

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As a result, SK hynix was recently recognized for its achievements by CDP Korea, winning the Grand Prize and receiving the highest grade in Water Security program in 2019 CDP Korea Award.

Figure 7. SK hynix winning grand prize for its water security program

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Continuing the Work: ECO Alliance

SK hynix sets its sustainable management strategies to drive social value creation, to strengthen the semiconductor ecosystem through effective supply chain management, and to contribute to solve social issues. And while we have certainly come a long way, we know that there is always more work to be done.

Our hope is that the 2022 ECO Vision initiative will serve as a compass for environmental affairs in the years to come and contribute to real change and impact across our business and the local communities we serve. Our ambition, ultimately, is to reduce our environmental impact and create an eco-friendly workplace.

The next article in this series will feature the ECO Alliance, a partnership between SK hynix and many of our partner companies that establishes and implements mid-to-long term environmental goals to reduce the impact of each company on the environment. Happy World Environment Day from SK hynix!

¹Nm3: a unit of gas emissions or exchange. It stands for normal cubic meter.
²Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD): the amount of oxygen consumed by bacteria and other microorganisms while they decompose organic matter under aerobic (oxygen is present) conditions at a specified temperature.
(https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/biological-oxygen-demand-bod-and-water?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects)
³Total Nitrogen (T-N): the sum of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), nitrite-nitrogen (NO2-N), ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) and organically bonded nitrogen.
(https://www.chemscan.com/total-nitrogen-in-wastewater.html)
⁴Total Phosphorus (T-P): an essential nutrient for plants and animals, but the addition of even a small amount of phosphorus to a water body can have negative consequences for water quality.
(https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/totalphosphorus.pdf)

The post [Memory for a Better Life 2] Our ECO Vision at SK hynix first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.

SK hynix Inc. (or “the Company”) won the Grand Prize and was titled the highest grade “Leadership A” in Water Security program in 2019 CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) Korea Award held by CDP Korea. CDP evaluated all productions sites of SK hynix including Icheon, Cheongju production sites in South Korea, and Wuxi, Chongqing production sites in China.

CDP Korea awards companies devoted to top class water management including water recycle and water usage reduction in its Water Security program.

SK hynix announced its ‘2022 ECO Vision’ in 2018 and set up new objectives including achieving 62,000 ton of water recycling in domestic productions sites on daily basis until 2022. Furthermore, the Company established a task force (TF) which succeeded in reducing water usage of 2.4 million ton in domestic productions sites in 2019. It is considered that SK hynix’s additional efforts including the enhancement of water management monitoring system are valued highly as well.

At the same time, the Company maintained its Hall of Fame Platinum Club status in Climate Change program. Companies must enter “Carbon Management Honors Club” for five consecutive years to secure its position at Hall of Fame, and is obligated to hold highest-level valuation in order to maintain its status. SK hynix has been evaluated in its excellent achievements for climate change responses since it participated in CDP in 2007. As a result, the Company joined Hall of Fame in 2013 and maintained the position for 7 years; both achievements are the first time among Korean companies.

Hyeong Soo Kim, Head of Safety Health Environment (SHE) at SK hynix said, “Despite SK hynix has been awarded the highest grade in both Climate Change and Water Security programs, the Company will continue devoting itself to raising the environmental management capabilities in order to establish globally leading eco-friendly semiconductor ecosystem.”

Meanwhile, CDP, a nonprofit organization established in the UK in 2000, is one of the most prestigious sustainability evaluating agencies along with Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI). As of 2019, 8,400 companies from 92 countries around the world are participating in the CDP, with about 100 of them in Korea.

About SK hynix Inc.

SK hynix Inc., headquartered in Korea, is the world’s top tier semiconductor supplier offering Dynamic Random Access Memory chips (“DRAM”), Flash memory chips (“NAND Flash”) and CMOS Image Sensors (“CIS”) for a wide range of distinguished customers globally. The Company’s shares are traded on the Korea Exchange, and the Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxemburg Stock Exchange. Further information about SK hynix is available at www.skhynix.com, news.skhynix.com.

Media Contact

SK hynix Inc.
Global Public Relations

Technical Leader
Jaehwan Kevin Kim
E-Mail: global_newsroom@skhynix.com

Technical Leader
Eun Suk Yixi Lee
E-Mail: global_newsroom@skhynix.com

The post SK hynix Inc. Wins the Grand Prize of Water Security 2019 Awarded by CDP first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.

Seoul, December 20, 2019

On December 20th, SK hynix Inc. (or ‘the Company,’ www.skhynix.com) received the “Environmental Product Declaration” from the Korean Ministry of Environment for its 10nm-class LPDDR4 DRAM products.

“Environmental Product Declaration” Certification encourages companies to indicate the quantitative environmental impact of pollutants discharged during a product’s lifecycle, which includes gathering raw materials, manufacturing, using, and disposal. It helps consumers choose environmental-friendly products.

Compared to the previous 20nm-class product, this certified 10nm-class LPDDR4 showed the greenhouse gas emission decreased by around 26% in the entire process from obtaining raw materials to its disposal.

Meanwhile, SK hynix announced its “2022 ECO Vision” at the end of last year, with the aim of successfully establishing eco-friendly semiconductor manufacturing plants. Under this vision, SK hynix set itself the goals of reducing greenhouse gases by 40% (compared to BAU¹ in 2016) and achieving a waste recycling rate of 95% and the 100% use of renewable energy in its overseas business operations by 2022. Furthermore, SK hynix was granted the certification of Zero Waste to Landfill earlier this year, the first time it was achieved in South Korea.

Hyeongsoo Kim, Head of Safety, Health, Environment (SHE) at SK hynix, said, “SK hynix was selected for the Carbon Management Hall of Fame by Carbon Discloser Project’s (CDP) Korean partner for six consecutive years until 2018. Moving forward, SK hynix will continue its full commitment to realizing its 2022 ECO Vision, while also leading the way to achieve the social value.”

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▲ SK hynix’s 10nm-class LPDDR4 DRAM products which obtained Environmental Product Declaration from the Ministry of Environment (Left) 6Gb LPDDR4 (Right) 8Gb LPDDR4

¹BAU (Business As Usual): Total projected amount of emissions without any artificial measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Media Contact

SK hynix Inc.
Global Public Relations

Technical Leader
Hyun Kyung Olivia Lee
E-Mail: global_newsroom@skhynix.com

Technical Leader
Eun Suk Yixi Lee
E-Mail: global_newsroom@skhynix.com

The post SK hynix Receives Environmental Product Declaration for its 10nm-Class LPDDR4 Products first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.