IPC Announces Victory for U.S. PCB Industry Officially Decreed

NORTHBROOK, Ill., May 15, 2003--IPC�Association Connecting Electronics Industries has announced that its triumph over the Environmental Protection Agency�s (EPA�s) Metal Products and Machinery (MP&M) effluent guidelines became official on May 13, 2003, when the Federal Register (68 FR May 13, 2003 page 25685) declared, �EPA is not revising any limitations or standards for facilities that would have been subject to this [Printed Circuit Board] subcategory (page 25705).�

�This rule could have dealt serious and irreparable damage to the industry, but IPC�s efforts have saved each and every U.S. PCB facility over $250,000 per year,� said Fern Abrams, IPC�s director of environmental policy. �This victory is only possible because of the continued support of our participating member companies.�

In January 2001, EPA first proposed the MP&M effluent limitation guidelines, which included considerably miscalculated costs and significantly understated projections regarding the impact on industry. More than 30 IPC members and staff then responded by testifying at various EPA public hearings across the country and IPC filed over 300 pages of written comments in July 2001 requesting an overall reassessment of the rule.

In addition, Abrams testified before a U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Small Business, Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Oversight in November 2001 regarding EPA's failure to conduct adequate regulatory analysis.

EPA then issued a revised proposal in the form of a June 2002 Notice of Data Availability (NODA) with a few revisions. Consequently, IPC responded again in August 2002 with more written comments on EPA's NODA, both commending EPA for the corrections and calling for further changes to correct the rule's inflated environmental benefits. IPC�s efforts culminated in EPA signing a final rule on MP&M effluent limit guidelines that did not include any new regulations for the PCB industry.

To view the federal register notice on MP&M, visit the IPC Environmental Health and Safety Web page at http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=3.4. For more information, contact Abrams at FAbrams@ipc.org or 202-962-0460.

About IPC

IPC is a Northbrook, Ill.-based trade association dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its more than 2,300 member companies, which represent all facets of the electronic interconnection industry, including design, printed circuit board manufacturing and electronics assembly. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of a $40 billion U.S. industry employing more than 350,000 people. IPC maintains offices in Taos, N.M.; Washington, D.C.; Garden Grove, Calif.; and Shanghai, China. For more information, visit http://www.ipc.org.