SEC/N Thoughts

For the past two years, SEC/N's member companies have been working together to establish industry guidelines for the decontamination of equipment that has been exposed to hazardous materials. At July's SEC/N Member Conference in San Jose, the SEC/N members ratified SEC/N Decontamination Guidelines for the resale and/or shipment of used equipment.

This action is especially noteworthy for several reasons. By increasing the visibility of at least the minimum requirements for the international shipping and receiving of potentially contaminated equipment, companies around the world can more easily avoid contaminating their processes, personal injuries and possibly the loss of life.

SEC/N is the only semiconductor trade association where all aspects of the used-equipment segment come together. As members of SEC/N, OEMs, brokers, semiconductor chip manufacturers, remanufacturers, parts suppliers and other related services all work together for the common good of the industry.

Furthermore, through SEC/N's involvement, the international marketplace for used equipment now has a means of addressing divergent issues, conflicting rules and regulations, and publicizing this information to the rest of the world.

The guidelines include the purpose, scope and limitations of the document, applicable references, information on communications and documentation, a glossary of standard terms and a standardized Decontamination Declaration Form.

These guidelines supplement and inform the semiconductor industry of existing rules and regulations, and do not create new technical standards or replace existing laws. They do not supersede local, state, federal or international regulations, or the OEM's requirements.