Water Resource

Environmental Sustainability

PTI has its water supply mainly from Taiwan Water Corporation and the primary reservoir involved is the second dam of Baoshan. In light of the drastic changes in the water environment, more and more frequent alternation of droughts and floods, and the increased concern that stakeholders have about the issue of water resources as a result of climate change over the years and in order to get prepared for the complex water resource issue, PTI enforced water resource management according to its three major strategies, namely reduction, re-utilization, and recycling and continues to promote water conservation measures in respective factories.

Water Governance

PTI attaches great importance to water management issues. We established water risk identification and response procedures, completing the operating mechanism of water governance by the approach of "top-down command and supervision, bottom-up response and report". Every year, regularly conduct the implementation of issues such as sustainability and water management to various interorganizational committees, report to the board of directors and continue to strengthen the organization's resilience in the face of water stress. (Please refer to the 2022 TCFD Report for details on water management in practice.)

Water Sources and Business Continuity Plans for Water Shortages

PTI mainly uses tap water, groundwater (well water), and rainwater recovery for cleaning and planting irrigation. In 2022, 98% of water sources came from tap water, and 2% came from groundwater. In response to the occurrence of water shortage, PTI has formulated water supply emergency response plans, and through simulation and situational drills, the impact of water shortage has been reduced. The main business continuity plans including the use of water storage tanks in each factory area, water supply by water tankers, and the use of water wells (groundwater) in response.

Water Reclamation and Water Management Target

Water Intensity Management Target: 6% reduction compared with 2018 (base year).
Attained over 85% water recycling rate in the dicing/grinding process.

Process Water Conservation

PTI is keen on the utilization and protection of water resources. Since 2009, we have actively implemented Process Wastewater Recycling System in all out plants, and solved the problem of large amounts of silicon dioxide particulate matter from the process of wafer dicing and grinding. With the use of an ultra-filtration, filter out insoluble solids through the hollow fiber membrane, and steadily recycle and reuse the wastewater from the dicing and grinding process.

Dicing/Grinding Recycled Trend of PTI Taiwan

The PTI Taiwan Plants capable of packaging process water recycling are the Hukou Plant (P2), Datong Plant (3A), Datong Plant (3C), and Hsinchu Science Park Plant 1 (P8). These Plants are installed with dicing/grinding wastewater recycling systems and the manageable hourly volume is designed based on the estimation of production needs. In response to our company's production plans, the recycling systems are constantly expanding; the recycling equipment efficiency rate from the dicing/grinding process reached more than 85% in 2018 to 2022.

The recycling rate of the dicing and grinding process recycling water system in PTI Taiwan was 87.61% in 2022. The water recycled in the packaging process in 2022 totaled 1,369.07 million liters, which was a decrease of 68.09 million liters (a decrease of approximately 4.74%) compared to 2021 mainly due to the process adjustments and the efficiency in the timing for the use of UF films in the system. PTI will continue to improve their systems and adopt reliable and easy-to-maintain key components to increase the amount of water recycled and enhance the recycling efficacy.

Note 1: Plants having dicing and grinding process are Hsinpu Plant (P1), Hukou Plant (P2), Datong Plant (3A), Datong Plant (3C), and Hsinchu Science Park Plant 1 (P8).
Note 2: Ratio (%)=[recycled volume(m³) ]/ [recycled equipment intake volume(m³)]*100%
Note 3: Water recycling system effectiveness of 85% from the dicing/grinding process.

Water Pollution Prevention

All water discharge from PTI is under off-site water treatment. In accordance with the regulations of the competent authorities, the wastewater generated from PTI’s plant operations is treated by the wastewater treatment system to meet discharge or pipeline standards before being discharged. Moreover, the wastewater is managed through real-time monitoring equipment, which keeps track of several water quality items such as pH and conductivity. The flow meters and detectors are calibrated regularly. In addition, the quality of our wastewater is tested by the authorities from time to time and all tests meet the standards; regular monitoring of stormwater drains is also carried out to prevent environmental impact due to overflow of wastewater during heavy rainfall.

Trends in emissions of waste water by PTI Taiwan

The total amount of wastewater discharged by PTI Taiwan in 2022 was 2,115.966 megaliters, an increase of 120.91 megaliters compared to 2021 due to the inclusion of the Hsinchu Science Park Plant 3 and the absence of the recycling system. The recycling system of Hsinchu Science Park Plant 3 is now being contracted and construction is expected to be completed in 2023.