Industry: Semiconductor
Application: Copper CMP wastewater
Benefits:
- Wastewater treatment timing
- Tote storage and handling
- Hauling coordination
- Disposal cost exposure
- Stream-specific treatment performance
- Integration with existing IWN operations
Background
A U.S.-based semiconductor facility was generating a recurring copper CMP wastewater stream that had been collected in 250-gallon totes and shipped offsite weekly. The stream contained both dissolved copper and hydrogen peroxide, creating a treatment challenge that required more than simple metal removal.
ElectraMet installed an onsite treatment train to address both contaminants before the stream entered the facility’s existing industrial waste neutralization system. The system treats peroxide first, adjusts pH, and then removes copper to meet the facility’s discharge target.
By moving treatment onsite, the facility reduced its reliance on recurring tote-based hauling and supported $748,800 in annual hauling avoidance with a 1.45-year return on investment.
Challenges
The facility’s copper CMP process generated approximately 6,000 gallons per week of wastewater. Before onsite treatment, this stream was collected in 250-gallon totes and shipped offsite on a weekly basis.
That approach solved the immediate disposal problem, but it created a recurring operating cost and kept the facility dependent on offsite waste handling for a predictable process stream.
The wastewater also presented a two-part treatment challenge:
- Hydrogen peroxide: approximately 10,000 mg/L
- Copper: approximately 20 mg/L, with a target of <1 mg/L before discharge
Because peroxide can interfere with downstream treatment control, the stream required a treatment sequence that addressed peroxide first before polishing copper.
Challenge
Weekly hauling of ~6,000 gallons of copper CMP wastewater created recurring disposal costs
Waste stream required management in 250-gallon totes with ongoing offsite coordination
Hydrogen peroxide (~10,000 mg/L) interfered with downstream treatment control
Copper concentration (~20 mg/L) required reduction to <1 mg/L before discharge
Facility needed treatment without replacing existing IWN infrastructure
Solution
ElectraMet Gamma system removed hydrogen peroxide prior to copper treatment
ElectraMet Alpha system reduced copper concentrations below discharge targets
Integrated treatment train added upstream of existing IWN system
Continuous copper monitoring improved stream-specific process control
Compact onsite system replaced recurring hauling for a predictable CMP stream
Impact
Eliminated weekly hauling of 6,000 gallons of copper CMP wastewater
Supported $748,800 in annual hauling avoidance
Achieved estimated return on investment in 1.45 years
Reduced tote handling, storage coordination, and disposal scheduling burden
Enabled controlled onsite treatment while maintaining existing IWN infrastructure
Proven Results | Case Study
This customer application shows how a semiconductor facility reduced reliance on offsite hauling by treating peroxide and copper onsite before IWN discharge.
The installed system addressed the stream in sequence: peroxide removal first, pH adjustment second, and copper removal third. That approach allowed the facility to manage a recurring copper CMP stream onsite while supporting a strong economic case for hauling avoidance.
For facilities hauling copper-bearing CMP wastewater, the question is no longer whether the stream can be disposed of. The better question is whether it can be treated before it ever leaves the site.
Evaluate Your Copper CMP Waste Stream
If your facility is hauling copper CMP wastewater, ElectraMet can help determine whether onsite peroxide and copper treatment can reduce disposal costs and improve process control.