The State - News from Aug. 3, 1988

An environmental group cited newly disclosed data on chemical use by the Silicon Valley semiconductor industry to press for tougher toxics regulations, fulfilling predictions that new federal disclosure rules will increase pressure for stricter environmental laws. At a San Jose press conference called a month after sweeping new federal “right-to-know” rules required even some small companies to disclose the type and amount of hazardous chemicals they release into the atmosphere, the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition argued that the data shows that semiconductor firms use the skies as “an open sewer” for the disposal of 12 million pounds of gases and vapors annually. The coalition said that unless industry commits itself to strict and binding pledges to cut both consumption and disposal of such chemicals, stricter and broader federal standards should be imposed. Both industry officials and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District downplayed the significance of the disclosures.