Semiconductors are the foundation of modern manufacturing. From cars to medical devices to household appliances, chips sit at the heart of almost every product we use. Yet the way they’re made remains one of the least sustainable processes in industrial production. High energy demand, heavy use of water, reliance on toxic chemicals such as PFAS, and dependence on scarce raw materials all add up to an industry with a significant environmental footprint.
The EU’s GENESIS project (Green, Environmentally Neutral, Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Integrated Semiconductors) is tackling this head-on. Launched in May 2025 with more than 60 partners across industry, academia, and SMEs, its goal is to reimagine semiconductor manufacturing from the ground up.
Chip fabrication, or “fabs”, require thousands of litres of ultra-pure water every day. They use powerful process gases such as NF₃ and CF₄ that have a global warming potential thousands of times greater than CO₂. PFAS chemicals — under scrutiny globally for their environmental persistence — are still widely used in etching and deposition. And the waste streams are staggering: solvents, slurries, acids, and off-gases that are hard to treat and even harder to reuse.
Add to this the industry’s dependence on critical raw materials like gallium, indium, and rare earths, and the sustainability case becomes urgent.
GENESIS is structured around four clear missions:
Replace harmful chemistries: develop alternatives to PFAS and other toxic process chemicals without reducing performance.
Close waste loops: recycle solvents, recover slurries, and purify water for reuse.
Cut emissions at source: integrate monitoring for process gases and treat them before release.
Reduce dependency on scarce inputs: redesign processes to use less of critical raw materials, or substitute with more abundant ones.
Although semiconductor manufacturing feels far removed from most factory floors, its impact ripples outward. Automotive, aerospace, energy, consumer goods — all depend on chips. If supply chains are disrupted by environmental regulation or resource scarcity, the consequences will be immediate.
GENESIS is more than compliance. It’s about future-proofing Europe’s access to chips. By embedding sustainability in chip production, the project gives downstream manufacturers greater certainty that their supply will remain stable, compliant, and credible.
For manufacturers outside the semiconductor sector, GENESIS carries important lessons:
Don’t wait for regulation to force change: PFAS restrictions are coming, just as carbon reporting did. Proactivity builds resilience.
Think in loops, not lines: solvents, slurries, or even off-cuts in your own factory may be resources waiting to be recovered.
Invest in monitoring: you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Real-time data on waste and emissions is becoming a strategic tool.
The GENESIS project is still in its early phases, but its ambition signals a broader truth: sustainability in manufacturing is moving upstream. Instead of focusing only on energy efficiency or packaging, industry is starting to redesign processes at their most fundamental level.
For leaders, the call is clear. Begin thinking about the “PFAS moment” in your own sector. What persistent chemicals or harmful practices are embedded in your processes? And who will lead the push to replace them before regulators make the decision for you?