TAICHUNG: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) held a ceremony to mark the official opening of its Taichung Zero Waste Manufacturing Center on Wednesday. The facility, located in the Daya District of Taichung, is set to significantly reduce the company's outsourced waste processing by 130,000 metric tons annually, which constitutes over 85% of the total waste from TSMC facilities in the Central Taiwan Science Park.According to Focus Taiwan, the company estimates that this reduction will lead to environmental cost savings of approximately NT$1.5 billion (US$46.3 million) each year, alongside a decreased carbon footprint of 40,000 metric tons. The launch event was attended by representatives from both government and private sectors, including TSMC's green technology partners Chang Chun Petrochemical, Transcene, and Li Ying Environmental Technology.The plant, already operational on a trial basis since last year, features four primary functions: fluoride recycling, silica recycling, solvent thermal r ecovery, and isopropanol recovery. In conjunction with its new facility, TSMC also announced a memorandum of understanding with Taiwan's Ministry of Environment (MOENV) to co-develop membrane-based carbon capture technology aimed at further advancing sustainable microchip manufacturing capabilities."TSMC has achieved exciting results in the circular economy," stated Y.P. Chyn, Senior Vice President and Co-Chief Operating Officer, highlighting the company's commitment to material reuse and sustainable practices. Chyn further noted that the waste recycling rate at TSMC's factories in Taiwan exceeded 97 percent last year. In its 2023 sustainability report, TSMC set an ambitious goal to achieve 100 percent waste recycling by 2030.