The production of semiconductors can seriously affect the environment. This is due to a few key issues: getting the materials, how the chips are made, and the waste produced.

1. Getting the Materials:

   • Making semiconductors needs special metals and materials that are hard to find.
   • For example, to get silicon, which is used for making semiconductor wafers, the process can harm the environment. If you mine just one ton of silicon, it can create around 3,000 kg of waste!

2. Energy Use:

   • Making semiconductors uses a lot of energy. In 2020, the whole world used about 1,500 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity for semiconductor production. This number is expected to grow.
   • Using this much electricity adds to our carbon footprint. For every kilowatt-hour of electricity used, about 1.18 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) is released into the air.

3. Chemicals and Air Pollution:

   • The production process includes many harmful chemicals, like hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid.
   • There are about 1,500 different chemicals used in semiconductor factories. If these chemicals aren't handled properly, they can pollute the air and water.
   • In 2020, semiconductor manufacturing produced more than 80 million pounds of dangerous waste in the United States alone.

4. Creating Waste:

   • Making semiconductors also creates a lot of solid waste. For every 1 kg of semiconductor made, up to 10 kg of waste could be produced.
   • There are recycling efforts underway, but currently only about 20% of electronic waste is recycled the right way.

In conclusion, while semiconductor technology is important for our gadgets and medical tools, its production can harm the environment. We need to keep finding ways to make these processes more eco-friendly and sustainable.