USA - Hynix seeks to output more air pollutant

Hynix seeks to output more air pollutant
By Diane Dietz
The Register-Guard
Published: Saturday, January 13, 2007
The Hynix computer-chip plant in west Eugene is asking to nearly triple the annual amount of one hazardous air pollutant it emits.
The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency, which regulates factory emissions in the county, has scheduled a Feb. 12 public review of the company's proposal to increase to 5 tons the hydrogen fluoride coming out of its stacks, up from the limit of 1.8 tons.
The company uses gases to clean and etch integrated circuitry onto silicon wafers. Air scrubbers take most of the waste pollutant out of the air before it emerges from company stacks.
.....The escaped hydrogen fluoride, a colorless gas, is absorbed by rain and taken into clouds and fog to form hydrofluoric acid, which will fall to the ground, according to the EPA. The gas is absorbed directly into the leaves of plants and can cause the leaf tips to burn and result in decreased reproduction, according to LRAPA.

We ought to decrease not increase the pollution