Intel promises lead-free processors

Intel is promising an aggressive stance on environmental sustainability

Intel has announced that its future processors will be 100 per cent lead-free beginning with its entire 45nm family.

Lead has been used to fix the processor onto the motherboard, but the practice is causing major pollution problems in the third world where most computer waste ends up.

"Intel is taking an aggressive stance toward environmental sustainability, from the elimination of lead and a focus on greater energy efficiency of our products to fewer air emissions and more water and materials recycling," said Nasser Grayeli, a vice president at Intel.

The chip firm will replace the lead connectors with a tin/silver/copper alloy, which is less likely to cause damage to the environment.

Intel has been steadily cutting the amount of lead it uses in manufacturing. In 2002 it produced its first lead-free Flash memory and in 2004 cut the amount of lead on motherboards by 95 per cent.